Supplemental Guarantor Condensed Consolidating Financial Information, Statements of Earnings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 28,795	$ 19,401	$ 74,922	$ 57,335
Cost of sales	21,314	13,961	55,263	41,093
Gross Profit	7,481	5,440	19,659	16,242
Selling, general and administrative expenses	6,080	4,551	16,142	13,499
Equity earnings in Alliance Boots	0	135	315	465
Operating Income	1,401	1,024	3,832	3,208
Gain on previously held equity interest	0	0	706	0
Other income (expense)	461	124	1,164	290
Earnings Before Interest and Income Tax Provision	1,862	1,148	5,702	3,498
Interest expense, net	151	35	350	113
Earnings Before Income Tax Provision	1,711	1,113	5,352	3,385
Income tax provision	408	357	1,120	1,167
Post tax earnings from equity method investments	7	0	15	0
Equity in income of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings	1,310	756	4,247	2,218
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	8	42	53	65
Net Earnings Attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Co	1,302	714	4,194	2,153
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings [Abstract]
Net sales	14,074	13,168	41,776	39,040
Cost of sales	9,894	9,064	29,054	26,663
Gross Profit	4,180	4,104	12,722	12,377
Selling, general and administrative expenses	2,938	3,059	11,398	10,669
Equity earnings in Alliance Boots	0	0	0	0
Operating Income	1,242	1,045	1,324	1,708
Gain on previously held equity interest	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	(166)	0
Earnings Before Interest and Income Tax Provision	1,242	1,045	1,158	1,708
Interest expense, net	136	39	289	129
Earnings Before Income Tax Provision	1,106	1,006	869	1,579
Income tax provision	496	427	306	590
Post tax earnings from equity method investments	0		0
Equity in income of subsidiaries	172	177	1,818	1,229
Net Earnings	782	756	2,381	2,218
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings Attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Co	782	756	2,381	2,218
Non-guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings [Abstract]
Net sales	15,052	6,319	34,220	18,597
Cost of sales	11,706	4,937	27,122	14,569
Gross Profit	3,346	1,382	7,098	4,028
Selling, general and administrative expenses	3,147	1,538	4,912	2,993
Equity earnings in Alliance Boots	0	135	315	465
Operating Income	199	(21)	2,501	1,500
Gain on previously held equity interest	0	0	706	0
Other income (expense)	459	124	1,330	290
Earnings Before Interest and Income Tax Provision	658	103	4,537	1,790
Interest expense, net	9	(4)	9	(16)
Earnings Before Income Tax Provision	649	107	4,528	1,806
Income tax provision	(70)	(70)	832	577
Post tax earnings from equity method investments	7		15
Equity in income of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings	726	177	3,711	1,229
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	8	42	53	65
Net Earnings Attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Co	718	135	3,658	1,164
Parent Company [Member]
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings [Abstract]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross Profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	40	0	(7)	0
Equity earnings in Alliance Boots	0	0	0	0
Operating Income	(40)	0	7	0
Gain on previously held equity interest	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	2	0	0	0
Earnings Before Interest and Income Tax Provision	(38)	0	7	0
Interest expense, net	6	0	52	0
Earnings Before Income Tax Provision	(44)	0	(45)	0
Income tax provision	(18)	0	(18)	0
Post tax earnings from equity method investments	0		0
Equity in income of subsidiaries	1,336	0	4,274	0
Net Earnings	1,310	0	4,247	0
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings Attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Co	1,310	0	4,247	0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Earnings [Abstract]
Net sales	(331)	(86)	(1,074)	(302)
Cost of sales	(286)	(40)	(913)	(139)
Gross Profit	(45)	(46)	(161)	(163)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(45)	(46)	(161)	(163)
Equity earnings in Alliance Boots	0	0	0	0
Operating Income	0	0	0	0
Gain on previously held equity interest	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Earnings Before Interest and Income Tax Provision	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Earnings Before Income Tax Provision	0	0	0	0
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Post tax earnings from equity method investments	0		0
Equity in income of subsidiaries	(1,508)	(177)	(6,092)	(1,229)
Net Earnings	(1,508)	(177)	(6,092)	(1,229)
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings Attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. Co	$ (1,508)	$ (177)	$ (6,092)	$ (1,229)