Retirement Benefits (Details) $ in Millions		8 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($) PensionPlan	Aug. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of defined benefit plans | PensionPlan			2
Defined benefit pension plan, investments holding percentage						85.00%
Cash contributions to defined benefit pension plans			$ 148
Additional cash contributions to defined benefit pension plans, next fiscal year			75
Profit sharing provision expense			158	$ 355	$ 342
Contributions to profit sharing			249	$ 328	$ 262
Cost recognized in the consolidated condensed statements of earnings			$ 93
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations [Abstract]
Discount rate						4.78%	4.40%
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost [Abstract]
Discount rate			4.40%	5.05%	4.15%
Expected benefit to be paid net of estimated federal subsidy during fiscal year 2016						$ 10
Assumptions used to compute postretirement benefit obligation [Abstract]
Discount rate assumption used to compute the postretirement benefit obligation						4.78%	4.40%
Discount rate assumption used to determine net periodic benefit cost			4.40%	5.05%	4.15%
Percentage value of consumer price index used in assumptions to compute the postretirement benefit obligation			2.00%	2.00%
Assumed health care cost trend rates [Abstract]
Health care cost trend rate			7.15%
Ultimate health care cost trend rate			5.25%
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		$ 8,936	$ 8,936			$ 8,936
Components of net periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service costs		3	3
Interest costs		214	214
Expected returns on plan assets			(173)
Settlements			(2)
Total postretirement benefit costs			42
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation, beginning of period		8,827
Service costs		3	3
Interest costs		214	214
Amendments		(2)
Actuarial loss (gain)		(103)
Benefits paid		(186)
Currency translation adjustments		(118)
Benefit obligation, end of period		8,635	8,635
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, beginning of period		8,987
Employer contributions		152
Benefits paid		(186)
Return on assets		91
Currency translation adjustments		(108)
Plan assets at fair value, end of period		8,936	$ 8,936
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets [Abstract]
Non-current assets						468
Current liabilities						1
Non-current liabilities						166
Net asset/liability recognized						301
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets [Abstract]
Current liabilities (present value of expected net benefit payments)						(1)
Non-current liabilities						(166)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss [Abstract]
Prior service credit						0
Net actuarial loss (gain)						21
Accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets [Abstract]
Projected benefit obligation						8,635
Accumulated benefit obligation						8,624
Fair value of plan assets						$ 8,936
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations [Abstract]
Discount rate						3.87%
Rate of compensation increase						2.55%
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost [Abstract]
Discount rate			3.77%
Expected long-term return on plan assets			2.99%
Rate of compensation increase			2.66%
Assumptions used to compute postretirement benefit obligation [Abstract]
Discount rate assumption used to compute the postretirement benefit obligation						3.87%
Discount rate assumption used to determine net periodic benefit cost			3.77%
Estimated future benefit payments and federal subsidy [Abstract]
2016						$ 288
2017						284
2018						293
2019						303
2020						311
2021-2025						1,707
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		25	$ 25			25
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period		25	25
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		8,407	8,407			8,407
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period		8,407	8,407
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		504	504			504
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period		504	$ 504
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value			9.50%
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[1]	852	$ 852			852
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[1]	852	852
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[1]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[1]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[1]	852	852			852
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[1]	852	852
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[1]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[1]	0	$ 0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value			81.50%
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	267	$ 267			267
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	267	267
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	267	267			267
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	267	267
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	1,006	1,006			1,006
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	1,006	1,006
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	1,006	1,006			1,006
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	1,006	1,006
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[2]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	5,535	5,535			5,535
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[3]	5,535	5,535
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[3]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	5,535	5,535			5,535
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[3]	5,535	5,535
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[3]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	472	472			472
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[4]	472	472
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[4]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	472	472			472
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[4]	472	472
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[4]	0	$ 0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value			5.60%
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	502	$ 502			502
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[5]	502	502
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[5]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	0	0			0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[5]	0	0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	502	502			502
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[5]	502	$ 502
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value			3.40%
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	302	$ 302			302
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[6]	302	302
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	25	25			25
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[6]	25	25
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	275	275			275
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[6]	275	275
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	2	2			2
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, end of period	[6]	2	2
Postretirement Health Benefit Plan [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		0	0	$ 0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Components of net periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service costs			11	8	9
Interest costs			17	17	14
Amortization of actuarial loss			19	11	12
Amortization of prior service cost			(24)	(23)	(22)
Total postretirement benefit costs			23	13	13
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation, beginning of period			427	350
Service costs			11	8	9
Interest costs			17	17	14
Amendments			(27)	(23)
Actuarial loss (gain)			17	88
Benefits paid			(21)	(19)
Participants' contributions			7	6
Benefit obligation, end of period		431	431	427	350
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value, beginning of period			0	0
Participants' contributions			7	6
Employer contributions			14	13
Benefits paid			(21)	(19)
Plan assets at fair value, end of period		$ 0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Funded status [Abstract]
Funded status						(431)	(427)
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets [Abstract]
Current liabilities						12	11
Non-current liabilities						419	416
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets [Abstract]
Current liabilities (present value of expected net benefit payments)						(12)	(11)
Non-current liabilities						(419)	(416)
Net liability recognized						(431)	(427)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss [Abstract]
Prior service credit						(231)	(228)
Net actuarial loss (gain)						223	$ 225
Amounts expected to be recognized as components of net periodic costs [Abstract]
Prior service credit			(27)
Net actuarial loss			19
Effect of One-Percentage Point Change in Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Abstract]
Effect of one percentage point increase on service and interest cost			(1)
Effect of one percentage point decrease on service and interest cost			1
Effect of one percentage point increase on postretirement obligation			17
Effect of one percentage point decrease on postretirement obligation			$ (13)
Estimated future benefit payments and federal subsidy [Abstract]
2016						10
2017						11
2018						12
2019						13
2020						14
2021-2025						$ 98

[1] Equity securities, which mainly comprise investments in comingled funds, are valued based on quoted prices and are primarily exchange-traded. Securities for which official close or last trade pricing on an active exchange is available are classified as Level 1 investments. If closing prices are not available, securities are valued at the last quoted bid price and typically are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[2] Debt securities: government bonds comprise fixed interest and index linked bonds issued by central governments, and are valued based on quotes received from independent pricing services or from dealers who make markets in such securities. Pricing services utilize pricing which considers readily available inputs such as the yield or price of bonds of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type, as well as dealer-supplied prices. Debt securities: government bonds are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[3] Debt securities: corporate bonds comprise bonds issued by corporations and are valued using recently executed transactions, or quoted market prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active. If there have been no market transactions in a particular fixed income security, its fair value is calculated by pricing models that benchmark the security against other securities with actual market prices. Debt securities: corporate bonds are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[4] Debt securities: other bonds comprise agency and mortgage-backed securities. These are valued using recently executed transactions and quoted market prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active. If there have been no market transactions in a particular fixed income security, its fair value is calculated by pricing models that benchmark the security against other securities with actual market prices. Debt securities: other bonds are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[5] Real estate comprises investments in certain property funds which themselves are valued based on the value of the underlying properties. These properties are valued using a number of standard industry techniques such as cost, discounted cash flows, independent appraisals and market based comparable data. Real estate investments are categorized as Level 3 investments.

[6] Other investments mainly comprise cash and cash equivalents and derivatives. Cash is categorized as a Level 1 investment. Cash equivalents are valued using observable yield curves, discounting and interest rates and are categorized as Level 2 investments. Derivatives which are exchange-traded and for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last reported sale price or official closing price as reported by an independent pricing service on the primary market, or exchange on which they are traded, and are categorized as Level 1 investments. Over-the-counter derivatives typically are valued by independent pricing services and are categorized as Level 2 investments.