Number of persons employed by the Entity

No definition available.

Name:	dei_EntityNumberOfEmployees
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Business combination contingent consideration liability maximum reimbursed initial purchase price.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sptn_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationLiabilityMaximumReimbursedInitialPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	sptn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116868678&loc=d3e1043-128460

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, acquired at the acquisition date. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116869197&loc=d3e4845-128472

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCashAndEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, acquired at the acquisition date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of property, plant, and equipment recognized as of the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 37
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116868840&loc=d3e2207-128464

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116869197&loc=d3e4845-128472

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Remaining amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsRemainingAmortizationPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets, lacking physical substance with a definite life, from an acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16265-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinitelivedIntangibleAssetsAcquired1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with an indefinite life, from an acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefinitelivedIntangibleAssetsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of stores.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStores
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of a business, net of the cash acquired from the purchase.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=sptn_FoodDistributionSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=sptn_MartinsSuperMarketsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=sptn_PharmacyCustomerPrescriptionListsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=sptn_CaitoFoodsServiceAndBlueRibbonTransportMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail)			12 Months Ended
Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 06, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2019 USD ($) Employee Store	Dec. 28, 2019 USD ($) Employee Store	Dec. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2018 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire certain assets and assume liabilities in cash				$ 86,659,000	$ 226,939,000
Goodwill			$ 181,035,000	181,035,000		$ 178,648,000
Food Distribution Segment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 46,300,000	2,400,000	2,400,000
Martin's Super Markets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire certain assets and assume liabilities in cash	$ 86,700,000
Business combination, cash acquired	7,800,000
Business combination, property and equipment acquired	55,000,000.0
Business combination, Intangible assets acquired	$ 23,900,000
Amortization of intangible assets, period	7 years
Goodwill	$ 0
Merger/acquisition and integration costs			$ 1,300,000	$ 2,500,000
Number of operating stores \| Store			20	20
Number of employees \| Employee			3,500	3,500
Martin's Super Markets [Member] \| Pharmacy customer prescription lists [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired	3,100,000
Martin's Super Markets [Member] \| Trade Names [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets acquired	$ 20,600,000
Caito Foods Service and Blue Ribbon Transport [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire certain assets and assume liabilities in cash		214,600,000
Business combination, cash acquired		2,500,000
Business combination, property and equipment acquired		76,700,000
Business combination, Intangible assets acquired		$ 72,900,000
Amortization of intangible assets, period		15 years
Business combination, contingent consideration liability maximum reimbursement initial purchase price				$ 15,000,000.0