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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Summary of Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Segment (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2014
Oct. 31, 2013
Oct. 31, 2012
Jul. 31, 2014
Oct. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]          
Goodwill beginning balance $ 998.4us-gaap_Goodwill $ 971.0us-gaap_Goodwill      
Goodwill acquired 25.9us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod      
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale (47.7)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit      
Goodwill adjustments (0.8)us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments 1.5us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments      
Goodwill impairment charge (50.3)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss    
Currency translation (45.3)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments 25.9us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments      
Goodwill ending balance 880.2us-gaap_Goodwill 998.4us-gaap_Goodwill 971.0us-gaap_Goodwill   880.2us-gaap_Goodwill
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]          
Goodwill [Line Items]          
Goodwill beginning balance 860.2us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
837.5us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
     
Goodwill acquired 25.9us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
       
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale (25.5)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
    (13.6)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
 
Goodwill adjustments (0.8)us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
1.5us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
     
Currency translation (39.1)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
21.2us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
     
Goodwill ending balance 820.7us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
860.2us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
    820.7us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Paper Packaging [Member]          
Goodwill [Line Items]          
Goodwill beginning balance 59.9us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
59.7us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
     
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale (0.4)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
       
Goodwill adjustments   0.2us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
     
Goodwill ending balance 59.5us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
59.9us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
    59.5us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_PaperPackagingMember
Flexible Products & Services [Member]          
Goodwill [Line Items]          
Goodwill beginning balance 78.3us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
73.6us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
     
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale (21.8)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
      (21.8)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Goodwill impairment charge (50.3)us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
       
Currency translation (6.2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
4.7us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
     
Goodwill ending balance 0us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
78.3us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
    0us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Land Management [Member]          
Goodwill [Line Items]          
Goodwill beginning balance   0.2us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_LandManagementMember
     
Goodwill adjustments   (0.2)us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_LandManagementMember
     
Goodwill ending balance $ 0us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_LandManagementMember
$ 0us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_LandManagementMember
    $ 0us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_LandManagementMember