Earnings Per Share - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		24 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized to be purchased	4,000,000		4,000,000		4,000,000
Total cost of the shares repurchased					$ 0.1
Shares repurchased of common stock	3,184,272		3,184,272		3,184,272
Antidilutive stock option	0	0	0	0
Class A Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Calculation of EPS			(i) multiply 40% times the average Class A shares outstanding, then divide that amount by the product of 40% of the average Class A shares outstanding plus 60% of the average Class B shares outstanding to get a percentage, (ii) divide undistributed net income attributable to Greif, Inc. by the average Class A shares outstanding, then (iii) multiply item (i) by item (ii), and finally (iv) add item (iii) to the Class A cash dividend per share. Diluted shares are factored into the Class A calculation.
Percentage of shares outstanding used in two class method calculation			40.00%
Repurchase of common stock			0	0
Shares repurchased of common stock	1,425,452		1,425,452		1,425,452
Class B Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Calculation of EPS			(i) multiply 60 percent times the average Class B shares outstanding, then divide that amount by the product of 40 percent of the average Class A shares outstanding plus 60 percent of the average Class B shares outstanding to get a percentage, (ii) undistributed net income divided by the average Class B shares outstanding, (iii) multiply item (i) by item (ii), (iv) add item (iii) to the Class B cash dividend. Class B diluted EPS is identical to Class B basic EPS.
Percentage of shares outstanding used in two class method calculation			60.00%
Repurchase of common stock		0	0	1,000
Shares repurchased of common stock	1,758,820		1,758,820		1,758,820