CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2020	Nov. 02, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 6,672,607	$ 6,296,612
Cost of sales	5,706,108	5,389,401
Gross profit	966,499	907,211
Operating expenses	900,962	883,688
Goodwill and asset impairment charges	0	425,405
Restructuring, acquisition and integration related expenses	16,428	14,672
Gain on sale of assets	(230)	(90)
Operating income (loss)	49,339	(416,464)
Other expense (income):
Net periodic benefit income, excluding service cost	(17,033)	(11,384)
Interest expense, net	69,133	49,709
Other, net	(798)	(400)
Total other expense, net	51,302	37,925
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(1,963)	(454,389)
Benefit for income taxes	(991)	(66,955)
Net loss from continuing operations	(972)	(387,434)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	1,296	4,026
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interests	324	(383,408)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,367)	(519)
Net loss attributable to United Natural Foods, Inc.	$ (1,043)	$ (383,927)
Basic (loss) earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.04)	$ (7.29)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.02	0.08
Basic loss per share (in dollars per share)	(0.02)	(7.21)
Diluted (loss) earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(0.04)	(7.29)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.02	0.08
Diluted loss per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.02)	$ (7.21)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	55,171	53,213
Diluted (in shares)	55,171	53,213