Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Dec. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation	Basis of presentation The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Sonoco Products Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Sonoco”) after elimination of intercompany accounts and transactions. Investments in affiliated companies in which the Company shares control over the financial and operating decisions, but in which the Company is not the primary beneficiary, are accounted for by the equity method of accounting. Income applicable to these equity investments is reflected in “Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax” in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Estimates and assumptions	Estimates and assumptions The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue recognition	Revenue recognition The Company records revenue when title and risk of ownership pass to the customer, and when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the sales price to the customer is fixed or determinable and when collectibility is reasonably assured. Certain judgments, such as provisions for estimates of sales returns and allowances, are required in the application of the Company’s revenue policy and, therefore, are included in the results of operations in its Consolidated Financial Statements. Shipping and handling expenses are included in “Cost of sales,” and freight charged to customers is included in “Net sales” in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company has rebate agreements with certain customers. These rebates are recorded as reductions of sales and are accrued using sales data and rebate percentages specific to each customer agreement. Accrued customer rebates are included in “Accrued expenses and other” in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts	Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts The Company’s trade accounts receivable are non-interest bearing and are recorded at the invoiced amounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts represents the Company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in existing accounts receivable. Provisions are made to the allowance for doubtful accounts at such time that collection of all or part of a trade account receivable is in question. The allowance for doubtful accounts is monitored on a regular basis and adjustments are made as needed to ensure that the account properly reflects the Company’s best estimate of uncollectible trade accounts receivable. Account balances are charged off against the allowance for doubtful accounts when the Company determines that the receivable will not be recovered.
Research and development	Research and development Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred and include salaries and other directly related expenses.
Restructuring and asset impairment	Restructuring and asset impairment Costs associated with exit or disposal activities are recognized when the liability is incurred. If assets become impaired as a result of a restructuring action, the assets are written down to fair value, less estimated costs to sell, if applicable. A number of significant estimates and assumptions are involved in the determination of fair value. The Company considers historical experience and all available information at the time the estimates are made; however, the amounts that are ultimately realized upon the sale of divested assets may differ from the estimated fair values reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
Cash and cash equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents Cash equivalents are composed of highly liquid investments with an original maturity to the Company of generally three months or less when purchased. Cash equivalents are recorded at cost, which approximates market.
Inventories	Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The last-in, first-out (LIFO) method is used for the valuation of certain of the Company’s domestic inventories, primarily metal, internally manufactured paper and paper purchased from third parties. The LIFO method of accounting was used to determine the carrying costs of approximately 14% and 19% of total inventories at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The remaining inventories are determined on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. If the FIFO method of accounting had been used for all inventories, total inventory would have been higher by $17,632 and $17,319 at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Property, plant and equipment	Property, plant and equipment Plant assets represent the original cost of land, buildings and equipment, less depreciation, computed under the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, and are reviewed for impairment whenever events indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Equipment lives generally range from 3 to 11 years, and buildings from 15 to 40 years. Timber resources are stated at cost. Depletion is charged to operations based on the estimated number of units of timber cut during the year.
Goodwill and other intangible assets	Goodwill and other intangible assets The Company assesses its goodwill for impairment annually and from time to time when warranted by the facts and circumstances surrounding individual reporting units or the Company as a whole. In performing the impairment test, the Company uses either a qualitative evaluation or a quantitative test. The qualitative evaluation considers factors such as the macroeconomic environment, Company stock price and market capitalization movement, business strategy changes, and significant customer wins and losses. The quantitative test considers factors such as the amount by which estimated fair value exceeds current carrying value, current year operating performance as compared to prior projections, and implied fair values from comparable trading and transaction multiples. Calculated reporting unit estimated fair values reflect a number of significant management assumptions and estimates including the Company's forecast of sales volumes and prices, profit margins, income taxes, capital expenditures and changes in working capital requirements. Changes in these assumptions and/or discount rates could materially impact the estimated fair values. When the Company estimates the fair value of a reporting unit, it does so using a discounted cash flow model based on projections of future years' operating results and associated cash flows, corroborated by comparable trading and transaction multiples. The Company's projections incorporate management's best estimates of the expected future results, which include expectations related to new and retained business and future operating margins. Projected future cash flows are then discounted to present value using a discount rate management believes is commensurate with the risks inherent in the cash flows. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of the reporting unit’s assets, including goodwill, there is no impairment. If not, and the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment charge is recognized for the excess. Goodwill is not amortized. Intangible assets are amortized, usually on a straight-line basis, over their respective useful lives, which generally range from 3 to 40 years. The Company evaluates its intangible assets for impairment whenever indicators of impairment exist. The Company has no intangibles with indefinite lives.
Income taxes	Income taxes The Company provides for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting requirements and tax laws. Assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse.
Derivatives	Derivatives The Company uses derivatives to mitigate the effect of fluctuations in some of its raw material and energy costs, foreign currencies, and, from time to time, interest rates. The Company purchases commodities such as recovered paper, metal, resins and energy generally at market or at fixed prices that are established with the vendor as part of the purchase process for quantities expected to be consumed in the ordinary course of business. The Company may enter into commodity futures or swaps to manage the effect of price fluctuations. The Company may use foreign currency forward contracts and other risk management instruments to manage exposure to changes in foreign currency cash flows and the translation of monetary assets and liabilities on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company is exposed to interest-rate fluctuations as a result of using debt as a source of financing for its operations. The Company may from time to time use traditional, unleveraged interest rate swaps to adjust its mix of fixed and variable rate debt to manage its exposure to interest rate movements. The Company records its derivatives as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet at fair value using published market prices or estimated values based on current price and/or rate quotes and discounted estimated cash flows. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognized either in net income or in other comprehensive income, depending on the designated purpose of the derivative. Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income are reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings. It is the Company’s policy not to speculate in derivative instruments.
Reportable segments	Reportable segments The Company identifies its reportable segments by evaluating the level of detail reviewed by the chief operating decision maker, gross profit margins, nature of products sold, nature of the production processes, type and class of customer, methods used to distribute products, and nature of the regulatory environment. Of these factors, the Company believes that the most significant in determining the aggregation of operating segments are the nature of the products and the type of customers served.
Contingencies	Contingencies Pursuant to U.S. GAAP for accounting for contingencies, accruals for estimated losses are recorded at the time information becomes available indicating that losses are probable and that the amounts are reasonably estimable. Amounts so accrued are not discounted.
New accounting pronouncements	New accounting pronouncements In February 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2018-02, "Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income," which allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. The Company elected to early adopt this standard in the fourth quarter 2017 using specific identification and as a result reclassified $73,239 from "Accumulated other comprehensive income" to "Retained earnings." This reclassification related only to the change in the statutory tax rate and affected only the Company's Consolidated Statement of Financial Position at December 31, 2017, and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Total Equity for the year ended December 31, 2017. In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, "Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities," which expands and refines hedge accounting for both financial and non-financial risk components, aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of hedging instruments and hedge items in the financial statements, and includes certain targeted improvements to ease the application of current guidance related to the assessment of hedge effectiveness. The update to the standard is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted in any interim period after issuance of this update. The Company intends to elect early adoption of the standard effective January 1, 2018. The adoption is not expected to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, "Scope of Modification Accounting," which provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting under Topic 718. Under the new guidance, modification accounting to a share-based payment award will not be applied if all of the following are the same immediately before and after the change: the award's fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if those measurement methods are used); the award's vesting conditions; and the award's classification as an equity or liability instrument. While the new guidance does not change the accounting for modifications, it is intended to reduce diversity in practice and result in fewer changes to the terms of an award being accounted for as modifications. This update is effective for annual periods, beginning after December 31, 2017, with early adoption permitted in any interim period after issuance of this update. The Company elected to early adopt the standard in the fourth quarter 2017. The adoption did not have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, “Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost,” which requires an employer to report service cost in the same line item as other compensation costs arising from employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost as defined are required to be presented separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations, if one is presented, or disclosed. This update also allows only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization when applicable and is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The amendments should be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the components of net benefit cost in the income statement and prospectively for the capitalization of the service cost component. The Company does not expect the implementation of ASU 2017-07 to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment,” eliminating the requirement to determine the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit to measure goodwill impairment. Under ASU 2017-04, goodwill impairment testing is performed by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount and recognizing an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The new standard is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted, and should be applied on a prospective basis. The Company intends to elect early adoption of the standard effective January 1, 2018. Any future goodwill impairment, should it occur, will be determined in accordance with this ASU. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, "Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory," effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017. ASU 2016-16 requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset upon transfer other than inventory, eliminating the current recognition exception. Prior to this ASU, GAAP prohibited the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for intra-entity asset transfers until the asset was sold to an outside party. The recognition prohibition was an exception to the principle of comprehensive recognition of current and deferred income taxes in GAAP. The Company does not expect the implementation of ASU 2016-16 to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments," providing clarification on eight cash flow classification issues, including 1) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, 2) settlement of relatively insignificant debt instruments, 3) contingent consideration payments, 4) insurance claim settlements, 5) life insurance settlements, 6) distributions received from equity method investees, 7) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and 8) separately identifiable cash flows. The guidance is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not expect the implementation of ASU 2016-15 to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting," which impacts several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including among others, the classification of excess tax benefits in the statements of income and cash flows and accounting for forfeitures. The Company's adoption of this update effective January 1, 2017 resulted in the recognition of $2,453 of excess tax benefits in the income statement during 2017. In accordance with the provisions of this ASU, excess tax benefits have also been recognized on a prospective basis within the operating section of the consolidated statement of cash flows for 2017, rather than the financing section. Pursuant to adoption of the new ASU, the Company recorded a cumulative charge to retained earnings of $318 for the elimination of estimated forfeitures associated with the Company's share-based compensation. The Company has elected to recognize forfeitures prospectively as they occur beginning January 1, 2017. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers, Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net)," which provides guidance on recording revenue on a gross basis versus a net basis based on the determination of whether an entity is a principal or an agent when another party is involved in providing goods or services to a customer. The amendments in this update affect the guidance in ASU No. 2014-09 and are effective in the same time frame as ASU 2014-09 as discussed below. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases" which changes accounting for leases and requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities arising from all leases, including those classified as operating leases under previous accounting guidance on the balance sheet and requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. The accounting for lessors does not fundamentally change except for changes to conform and align guidance to the lessee guidance. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years and requires retrospective application. The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2016-02, but expects it to have a material impact on its Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue From Contracts With Customers," which changes the definitions/criteria used to determine when revenue should be recognized from being based on risks and rewards to being based on control. Among other changes, ASU 2014-09 changes the manner in which variable consideration is recognized, requires recognition of the time value of money when payment terms exceed one year, provides clarification on accounting for contract costs, and expands disclosure requirements. ASU 2014-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Although the Company will not complete its final assessment and quantification of the impact of ASU 2014-09 on its consolidated financial statements until adoption, it expects the adoption to have the effect of accelerating the timing of revenue recognition compared to current standards for those arrangements under which the Company is producing customer-specific products without alternative use and would be entitled to payment for work completed, including a reasonable margin. The Company plans to adopt ASU 2014-09 in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 following the modified retrospective transition method and estimates the impact of the transition adjustment on the beginning balance of retained earnings will be approximately $5,000. Other than the pronouncements discussed above, there have been no other newly issued nor newly applicable accounting pronouncements that have had, or are expected to have, a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. Further, at December 31, 2017, there were no other pronouncements pending adoption that are expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.