Commitments and Contingencies	6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	12. Commitments and Contingencies The Company is involved in legal proceedings and is subject to investigations, inspections, audits, inquiries and similar actions by governmental authorities, arising in the normal course of the Company's business, including the matters described below. Legal proceedings, in general, and securities and class action litigation, in particular, can be expensive and disruptive. Some of these suits may purport or may be determined to be class actions and/or involve parties seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages, and may remain unresolved for several years. From time to time, the Company is also involved in legal proceedings as a plaintiff involving antitrust, tax, contract, intellectual property and other matters. Gain contingencies, if any, are recognized when they are realized. The results of legal proceedings are often uncertain and difficult to predict, and the costs incurred in litigation can be substantial, regardless of the outcome. The Company believes that its defenses and assertions in pending legal proceedings have merit, and does not believe that any of these pending matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, will have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position. However, substantial unanticipated verdicts, fines and rulings do sometimes occur. As a result, the Company could from time to time incur judgments, enter into settlements or revise its expectations regarding the outcome of certain matters, and such developments could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations in the period in which the amounts are accrued and/or its cash flows in the period in which the amounts are paid. On a quarterly basis, the Company assesses its liabilities and contingencies for outstanding legal proceedings and reserves are established on a case-by-case basis for those legal claims for which management concludes that it is probable that a loss will be incurred and that the amount of such loss can be reasonably estimated. Substantially all of these contingencies are subject to significant uncertainties and, therefore, determining the likelihood of a loss and/or the measurement of any loss can be complex. With respect to litigation and other legal proceedings where the Company has determined that a loss is reasonably possible, the Company is unable to estimate the amount or range of reasonably possible loss in excess of amounts reserved due to the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of and uncertainties regarding such litigation and legal proceedings. The Company's assessments are based on estimates and assumptions that have been deemed reasonable by management, but that may prove to be incomplete or inaccurate, and unanticipated events and circumstances may occur that might cause the Company to change those estimates and assumptions. Therefore, it is possible that an unfavorable resolution of one or more pending litigation or other contingencies could have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements in a future fiscal period. Management's assessment of current litigation and other legal proceedings, including the corresponding accruals, could change because of the discovery of facts with respect to legal actions or other proceedings pending against the Company which are not presently known. Adverse rulings or determinations by judges, juries, governmental authorities or other parties could also result in changes to management's assessment of current liabilities and contingencies. Accordingly, the ultimate costs of resolving these claims may be substantially higher or lower than the amounts reserved. On June 11, 2013, the Company entered into a Settlement and Memorandum of Agreement (the "Agreement") with the United States Department of Justice and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") that settled and resolved all administrative and civil matters arising out of DEA's previously-disclosed concerns relating to the Company's distribution and dispensing of controlled substances. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company paid an $80 million settlement amount, surrendered its DEA registrations for six pharmacies in Florida until May 26, 2014, and for its Jupiter, Florida distribution center until September 13, 2014, and agreed to implement certain remedial actions. In addition, the Company dismissed with prejudice its petition with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that challenged certain enforcement authority of the DEA. On July 31, 2013 and August 13, 2013, putative shareholders filed derivative actions in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois against the Walgreens Board of Directors and Walgreen Co. as a nominal defendant (collectively, the "defendants"), arising out of the Company's June 2013 settlement with the DEA described above. The actions assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty on the grounds that the directors allegedly should have prevented the events that led to the settlement. The plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated complaint on October 4, 2013, pursuant to which they sought damages and other relief on behalf of the Company. The defendants filed their motion to dismiss on December 3, 2013. Subsequent thereto, the plaintiffs filed an opposition brief on February 7, 2014 and the defendants filed their reply brief on March 10, 2014. In June 2014, the parties executed a settlement term sheet reflecting an agreement in principle to settle this matter, subject to, among other things, the execution of final settlement documentation and court approval. On September 11, 2014, the defendants, denying all wrongdoing and liability, entered into a Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement whereby the Company agreed to certain corporate governance measures and the payment of up to $3.5 million for plaintiffs' counsel fees and costs in exchange for a complete release of all claims against all defendants. The Court entered a final order approving the Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement on December 16, 2014. The settlement of this matter did not have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. On December 5 and 12, 2014, putative shareholders filed class actions in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois against the Walgreens Board of Directors, Walgreen Co., and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. arising out of the Company's definitive proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC in connection with the special meeting of Walgreens shareholders on December 29, 2014. The actions assert claims that the definitive proxy statement/prospectus was false or misleading in various respects. On December 23, 2014, solely to avoid the costs, risks and uncertainties inherent in litigation, and without admitting any liability or wrongdoing, Walgreens entered into a memorandum of understanding with the plaintiffs in both actions, pursuant to which Walgreens made certain supplemental disclosures. The proposed settlement is subject to, among other things, court approval. On December 29, 2014, a putative shareholder filed a derivative action in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois against certain current and former directors and officers of Walgreen Co., and Walgreen Co. as a nominal defendant, arising out of certain public statements the Company made regarding its fiscal 2016 goals. The action asserts claims for breach of fiduciary duty, waste and unjust enrichment. The defendants plan to file a motion to dismiss.

12. Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is involved in legal proceedings and is subject to investigations, inspections, audits, inquiries and similar actions by governmental authorities, arising in the normal course of the Company's business, including the matters described below. Legal proceedings, in general, and securities and class action litigation, in particular, can be expensive and disruptive. Some of these suits may purport or may be determined to be class actions and/or involve parties seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages, and may remain unresolved for several years. From time to time, the Company is also involved in legal proceedings as a plaintiff involving antitrust, tax, contract, intellectual property and other matters. Gain contingencies, if any, are recognized when they are realized. The results of legal proceedings are often uncertain and difficult to predict, and the costs incurred in litigation can be substantial, regardless of the outcome. The Company believes that its defenses and assertions in pending legal proceedings have merit, and does not believe that any of these pending matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, will have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position. However, substantial unanticipated verdicts, fines and rulings do sometimes occur. As a result, the Company could from time to time incur judgments, enter into settlements or revise its expectations regarding the outcome of certain matters, and such developments could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations in the period in which the amounts are accrued and/or its cash flows in the period in which the amounts are paid.

On a quarterly basis, the Company assesses its liabilities and contingencies for outstanding legal proceedings and reserves are established on a case-by-case basis for those legal claims for which management concludes that it is probable that a loss will be incurred and that the amount of such loss can be reasonably estimated. Substantially all of these contingencies are subject to significant uncertainties and, therefore, determining the likelihood of a loss and/or the measurement of any loss can be complex. With respect to litigation and other legal proceedings where the Company has determined that a loss is reasonably possible, the Company is unable to estimate the amount or range of reasonably possible loss in excess of amounts reserved due to the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of and uncertainties regarding such litigation and legal proceedings. The Company's assessments are based on estimates and assumptions that have been deemed reasonable by management, but that may prove to be incomplete or inaccurate, and unanticipated events and circumstances may occur that might cause the Company to change those estimates and assumptions. Therefore, it is possible that an unfavorable resolution of one or more pending litigation or other contingencies could have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements in a future fiscal period. Management's assessment of current litigation and other legal proceedings, including the corresponding accruals, could change because of the discovery of facts with respect to legal actions or other proceedings pending against the Company which are not presently known. Adverse rulings or determinations by judges, juries, governmental authorities or other parties could also result in changes to management's assessment of current liabilities and contingencies. Accordingly, the ultimate costs of resolving these claims may be substantially higher or lower than the amounts reserved.

On June 11, 2013, the Company entered into a Settlement and Memorandum of Agreement (the "Agreement") with the United States Department of Justice and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") that settled and resolved all administrative and civil matters arising out of DEA's previously-disclosed concerns relating to the Company's distribution and dispensing of controlled substances. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company paid an $80 million settlement amount, surrendered its DEA registrations for six pharmacies in Florida until May 26, 2014, and for its Jupiter, Florida distribution center until September 13, 2014, and agreed to implement certain remedial actions. In addition, the Company dismissed with prejudice its petition with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that challenged certain enforcement authority of the DEA. On July 31, 2013 and August 13, 2013, putative shareholders filed derivative actions in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois against the Walgreens Board of Directors and Walgreen Co. as a nominal defendant (collectively, the "defendants"), arising out of the Company's June 2013 settlement with the DEA described above. The actions assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty on the grounds that the directors allegedly should have prevented the events that led to the settlement. The plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated complaint on October 4, 2013, pursuant to which they sought damages and other relief on behalf of the Company. The defendants filed their motion to dismiss on December 3, 2013. Subsequent thereto, the plaintiffs filed an opposition brief on February 7, 2014 and the defendants filed their reply brief on March 10, 2014. In June 2014, the parties executed a settlement term sheet reflecting an agreement in principle to settle this matter, subject to, among other things, the execution of final settlement documentation and court approval. On September 11, 2014, the defendants, denying all wrongdoing and liability, entered into a Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement whereby the Company agreed to certain corporate governance measures and the payment of up to $3.5 million for plaintiffs' counsel fees and costs in exchange for a complete release of all claims against all defendants. The Court entered a final order approving the Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement on December 16, 2014. The settlement of this matter did not have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

On December 5 and 12, 2014, putative shareholders filed class actions in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois against the Walgreens Board of Directors, Walgreen Co., and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. arising out of the Company's definitive proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC in connection with the special meeting of Walgreens shareholders on December 29, 2014. The actions assert claims that the definitive proxy statement/prospectus was false or misleading in various respects. On December 23, 2014, solely to avoid the costs, risks and uncertainties inherent in litigation, and without admitting any liability or wrongdoing, Walgreens entered into a memorandum of understanding with the plaintiffs in both actions, pursuant to which Walgreens made certain supplemental disclosures. The proposed settlement is subject to, among other things, court approval.

On December 29, 2014, a putative shareholder filed a derivative action in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois against certain current and former directors and officers of Walgreen Co., and Walgreen Co. as a nominal defendant, arising out of certain public statements the Company made regarding its fiscal 2016 goals. The action asserts claims for breach of fiduciary duty, waste and unjust enrichment. The defendants plan to file a motion to dismiss.