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Pension plans and other postretirement benefits
 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]
Pension plans and other postretirement benefits
The Company has several defined benefit pension plans covering substantially all of its employees in the United States (U.S.) and certain employees in other countries. The plans provide retirement benefits based on years of service and on earnings.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company approved and communicated changes to its U.S. pension plan, which is the most significant of the Company's pension obligations. Effective January 1, 2014, the pension benefit earned to date by active participants under the legacy Energizer U.S. pension plan will be frozen and future service benefits will no longer be accrued under this retirement program. For the quarter ended December 31, 2012, the Company recorded a pre-tax curtailment gain of $37.4 as a result of this plan change. The pension curtailment gain was reported on a separate line in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income (Condensed).

The Company also sponsors or participates in a number of other non-U.S. pension arrangements, including various retirement and termination benefit plans, some of which are required by local law or coordinated with government-sponsored plans, which are not significant in the aggregate and, therefore, are not included in the information presented below.

The Company currently provides other postretirement benefits, consisting of health care and life insurance benefits for certain groups of retired employees. Certain retirees are eligible for a fixed subsidy, provided by the Company, toward their total cost of health care benefits. Retiree contributions for health care benefits are adjusted periodically to cover the entire increase in total plan costs. Cost trend rates no longer materially impact the Company’s future cost of the plan due to the fixed nature of the subsidy.
 
The Company’s net periodic benefit cost for these plans is as follows:
 
 
Pension
 
Quarter Ended December 31,
 
2012
 
2011
Service cost
$
7.0

 
$
6.9

Interest cost
12.3

 
13.9

Expected return on plan assets
(17.0
)
 
(15.7
)
Amortization of prior service cost
(0.4
)
 
(1.4
)
Amortization of unrecognized net loss
7.4

 
5.1

Settlement charge
—

 
0.9

Curtailment gain
(37.4
)
 
—

Net periodic benefit cost
$
(28.1
)
 
$
9.7



 
Postretirement
 
Quarter Ended December 31,
 
2012
 
2011
Service cost
$
0.2

 
$
0.2

Interest cost
0.3

 
0.6

Amortization of prior service cost
(0.9
)
 
(0.7
)
Amortization of unrecognized net gain
(0.5
)
 
(0.5
)
Net periodic benefit cost
$
(0.9
)
 
$
(0.4
)