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Basis of Presentation (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2014
Feb. 28, 2015
Feb. 28, 2014
Aug. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Jun. 18, 2012
Jan. 01, 2015
Mar. 18, 2013
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]                
Ownership percentage (in hundredths)   45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage            
Common shares transfer (in shares)   1,172,513,618us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued   1,028,180,150us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued        
Restricted Cash [Abstract]                
Restricted cash   $ 206,000,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue   $ 0us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue        
Financial Instruments [Abstract]                
Minimum highly effective hedging percentage (in hundredths)   80.00%us-gaap_GeneralFairValueHedgeInformationDollarOffsetThresholdMinimum            
Maximum highly effective hedging percentage (in hundredths)   125.00%us-gaap_GeneralFairValueHedgeInformationDollarOffsetThresholdMaximum            
Income Taxes [Abstract]                
Unrecognized tax benefits   115,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits            
Unrecognized tax benefits will decrease in the next 12 months   115,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions            
Non controlling Interest [Abstract]                
Threshold percentage to consolidated subsidiaries accounts (in hundredths)   100.00%wxz_ThresholdPercentageToConsolidatedSubsidiariesAccounts            
Currency [Abstract]                
Net gain (loss) from foreign currency transactions 0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax 0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax 0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax          
Retail Pharmacy USA [Member]                
Inventory [Abstract]                
Inventory increase in carrying amount if valued on LIFO basis   2,400,000,000us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReservePeriodCharge
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wxz_RetailPharmacyUSAMember
  2,300,000,000us-gaap_InventoryLIFOReservePeriodCharge
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= wxz_RetailPharmacyUSAMember
       
Alliance Boots [Member]                
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]                
Ownership percentage (in hundredths)   100.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AllianceBootsMember
  45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AllianceBootsMember
45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AllianceBootsMember
45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AllianceBootsMember
   
Walgreens Boots Alliance Development GmbH [Member]                
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]                
Ownership percentage (in hundredths)   72.50%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_WalgreensBootsAllianceDevelopmentGmbhMember
           
Additional ownership interest, direct (in hundredths)   50.00%wxz_EquityMethodInvestmentDirectOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_WalgreensBootsAllianceDevelopmentGmbhMember
           
Additional ownership interest, indirect (in hundredths)   27.50%wxz_EquityMethodInvestmentIndirectOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_WalgreensBootsAllianceDevelopmentGmbhMember
           
Equity method ownership option to repurchase shares, amount   $ 100,000wxz_EquityMethodOwnershipOptionToRepurchaseSharesAmount
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_WalgreensBootsAllianceDevelopmentGmbhMember
           
Alliance Healthcare Italia Distribuzione S.p.A. [Member]                
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]                
Ownership percentage (in hundredths)             5.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AllianceHealthcareItaliaDistribuzioneSPAMember
 
Common shares transfer (in shares)   320us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AllianceHealthcareItaliaDistribuzioneSPAMember
           
AmerisourceBergen Corporation [Member] | Maximum [Member]                
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]                
Common shares transfer (in shares)               19,859,795us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= wxz_AmerisourceBergenCorporationMember