Segment Sales to External Customers by Product Line (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended													12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2012		Sep. 29, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 24, 2011	Jun. 25, 2011		Mar. 26, 2011	Dec. 29, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers	$ 1,700,500	[1]	$ 1,744,600	[2]	$ 1,602,400	$ 1,872,900	[3]	$ 1,835,800	[4]	$ 1,774,800	$ 1,647,600	[5]	$ 1,863,000	$ 6,920,384	$ 7,121,167	$ 7,150,007
Office Supplies And Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														3,473,430	3,513,356	3,555,275
Technology Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														2,800,866	2,967,124	3,020,091
Office furniture
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														646,088	640,687	574,641
Contract
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														3,605,760	3,624,077	3,634,244
Contract | Office Supplies And Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														2,061,908	2,076,052	2,086,629
Contract | Technology Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														1,130,564	1,142,168	1,185,461
Contract | Office furniture
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														413,288	405,857	362,154
Retail
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														3,314,624	3,497,090	3,515,763
Retail | Office Supplies And Paper
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														1,411,522	1,437,304	1,468,646
Retail | Technology Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														1,670,302	1,824,956	1,834,630
Retail | Office furniture
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment sales to external customers														$ 232,800	$ 234,830	$ 212,487

[1] Includes a $56.4 million pre-tax charge for acceleration of pension expense related to participant settlements, $14.1 million pre-tax charge related to retail store closures, $6.2 million of pre-tax charges related to severance and other costs associated with restructuring, and a $1.6 million non-cash pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets associated with our Retail stores, primarily in Mexico.

[2] Includes a $670.8 million pre-tax gain related to an agreement that legally extinguished our non-recourse debt guaranteed by Lehman and a $9.8 million non-cash pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets associated with our retail stores in the U.S.

[3] Includes a $25.3 million pre-tax charge related to retail store closures in the U.S.

[4] Includes an $11.2 million non-cash pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets associated with our Retail stores in the U.S. and $6.6 million of pre-tax charges for severance.

[5] Includes a $5.6 million pre-tax charge related to retail store closures in the U.S., and $8.3 million of pre-tax charges for severance.