(Loss) Income Per Share (Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Common Share) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 06, 2014	Sep. 07, 2013	Sep. 06, 2014	Sep. 07, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
(Loss) income from continuing operations, net of tax	$ (21.2)	$ 23.4	$ (24.4)	$ 145.5
Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0	(0.2)	0	(1.6)
(Loss) income from continuing operations available to common stockholders, Diluted	(21.2)	23.2	(24.4)	143.9
(Loss) income from continuing operations available to common stockholders, Basic	(21.2)	23.2	(24.4)	143.9
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	30.7	43.0	30.9	48.5
Noncontrolling interests - discontinued operations	0	(0.6)	0.9	(0.9)
Income from discontinued operations, attributable to Safeway Inc.	30.7	42.4	31.8	47.6
Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(0.5)	(0.5)	(2.7)	(0.5)
Income from discontinued operations available to common stockholders, Diluted	30.2	41.9	29.1	47.1
Income from discontinued operations available to common stockholders, Basic	30.2	41.9	29.1	47.1
Net income	9.5	65.8	7.4	193.1
Distributed and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	(0.5)	(0.7)	(2.7)	(2.1)
Net income available to common stockholders after earnings allocated to participating securities, Diluted	9.0	65.1	4.7	191.0
Net income available to common stockholders after earnings allocated to participating securities, Basic	$ 9.0	$ 65.1	$ 4.7	$ 191.0
Weighted average common shares outstanding	229.0	239.4	228.6	238.5
Common share equivalents	1.9	2.2	1.8	1.8
Weighted average shares outstanding	230.9	241.6	230.4	240.3
(Loss) earnings per common share:
Continuing operations, Diluted (dollars per share)	$ (0.09)	$ 0.10	$ (0.11)	$ 0.60
Continuing operations, Basic (dollars per share)	$ (0.09)	$ 0.10	$ (0.11)	$ 0.60
Discontinued operations, Diluted (dollars per share)	$ 0.13	$ 0.17	$ 0.13	$ 0.19
Discontinued operations, Basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.13	$ 0.17	$ 0.13	$ 0.20
Total, Diluted (dollars per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.27	$ 0.02	$ 0.79
Total, Basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.27	$ 0.02	$ 0.80