CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 01, 2020		Aug. 03, 2019		Jul. 28, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 26,514,267	[1]	$ 22,307,456		$ 10,226,683
Cost of sales	22,639,475		19,098,850		8,706,669
Gross profit	3,874,792	[1]	3,208,606		1,520,014
Operating expenses	3,541,487		2,967,912		1,274,562
Goodwill and asset impairment charges	425,405		292,770		11,242
Restructuring, acquisition and integration related expenses	86,383		148,195		9,738
Loss (gain) on sale of assets	17,132		(499)		0
Operating (loss) income	(195,615)		(199,772)		224,472
Other expense (income):
Net periodic benefit income, excluding service cost	(39,177)		(35,041)		0
Interest expense, net	191,607		180,789		16,025
Other, net	(3,591)		(1,063)		(1,545)
Total other expense, net	148,839		144,685		14,480
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(344,454)		(344,457)		209,992
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(90,445)		(58,936)		47,215
Net (loss) income from continuing operations	(254,009)	[1]	(285,521)		162,777
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(15,202)	[1]	898	[2]	0
Net (loss) income including noncontrolling interests	(269,211)		(284,623)		162,777
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,929)		(107)		0
Net (loss) income attributable to United Natural Foods, Inc.	$ (274,140)		$ (284,730)		$ 162,777
Basic (loss) earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (4.81)	[1]	$ (5.57)		$ 3.22
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.28)		0.02		0
Basic (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	(5.10)	[1]	(5.56)		3.22
Diluted (loss) earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(4.81)	[1]	(5.57)		3.20
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.28)		0.02		0
Diluted (loss) earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (5.10)	[1]	$ (5.56)		$ 3.20
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	53,778		51,245		50,530
Diluted (in shares)	53,778		51,245		50,837

[1] Fiscal 2020 results reflect 52 weeks of operating results, as compared to fiscal 2019 53 weeks. The fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 includes 13 weeks and the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 contains 14 weeks.

[2] These results reflect retail operations from the Supervalu acquisition date of October 22, 2018 to August 3, 2019.