Summary Of Significant Accounting Polices (Consolidated Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	84 Months Ended
	Oct. 10, 2012	Sep. 23, 2012		Mar. 25, 2012	Sep. 25, 2011		Sep. 23, 2012		Sep. 25, 2011		Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 25, 2011
Net revenues		$ 188,163			$ 215,049		$ 548,856		$ 613,745
Cost of revenues		116,149			133,961		347,626		377,588
Gross profit		72,014			81,088		201,230		236,157
Selling, general and administrative expenses		59,950			67,802		197,325		219,294
Research and development		4,441			5,476		13,132		15,612
Restructuring expenses		4,112			17,279		27,096		20,371
Acquisition costs		17			2		127		2,205
Other expense	4,700	0		745	289		745		587			4,100
Other operating income		0			2,590		0		19,262
Operating income (loss)		3,494			(7,170)		(101,632)		(2,650)
Interest income		396			984		1,291		2,677
Interest expense		4,668			2,221		8,542		5,781
Other gain (loss), net		325			(783)		29		(1,049)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes		(453)			(9,190)		(108,854)		(6,803)
Income taxes (benefit) expense		3,765			38,355		(810)		38,788
Net loss from continuing operations		(4,218)			(47,545)		(108,044)		(45,591)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $0, $0, and $433 for quarter ended and $0, $0, and $0 for six months ended		(1,167)	[1]		(1,069)	[1]	(2,797)	[1]	(1,874)	[1]
Net loss		(5,385)			(48,614)		(110,841)		(47,465)		(66,626)
Less: income attributable to non-controlling interests		(51)			48		(355)		50
Net loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc.		(5,334)			(48,662)		(110,486)		(47,515)
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.1)			$ (1.17)		$ (2.63)		$ (1.13)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ (0.03)			$ (0.03)		$ (0.07)		$ (0.04)
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share		$ (0.13)			$ (1.2)		$ (2.7)		$ (1.17)
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.1)			$ (1.17)		$ (2.63)		$ (1.13)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)		$ (0.03)			$ (0.03)		$ (0.07)		$ (0.04)
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share		$ (0.13)			$ (1.2)		$ (2.7)		$ (1.17)
As Previously Reported [Member]
Net revenues					218,126				622,730
Cost of revenues					136,506				385,244
Gross profit					81,620				237,486
Selling, general and administrative expenses					69,943				225,021
Research and development					5,476				15,612
Restructuring expenses					17,392				20,484
Acquisition costs					2				2,205
Other expense					0				0
Other operating income					2,590				19,262
Operating income (loss)					(8,603)				(6,574)
Interest income					984				2,677
Interest expense					2,221				5,781
Other gain (loss), net					(783)				(1,049)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes					(10,623)				(10,727)
Income taxes (benefit) expense					38,588				38,273
Net loss from continuing operations					(49,211)				(49,000)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $0, $0, and $433 for quarter ended and $0, $0, and $0 for six months ended					0				0
Net loss					(49,211)				(49,000)
Less: income attributable to non-controlling interests					48				50
Net loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc.					(49,259)				(49,050)
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (1.21)				$ (1.21)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)					$ 0				$ 0
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share					$ (1.21)				$ (1.21)
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (1.21)				$ (1.21)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)					$ 0				$ 0
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share					$ (1.21)				$ (1.21)
As Revised For Revision Adjustments [Member]
Net revenues					218,126				622,730
Cost of revenues					136,506				385,244
Gross profit					81,620				237,486
Selling, general and administrative expenses					68,857				222,384
Research and development					5,476				15,612
Restructuring expenses					17,392				20,484
Acquisition costs					2				2,205
Other expense					289				587
Other operating income					2,590				19,262
Operating income (loss)					(7,806)				(4,524)
Interest income					984				2,677
Interest expense					2,221				5,781
Other gain (loss), net					(783)				(1,049)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes					(9,826)				(8,677)
Income taxes (benefit) expense					38,788				38,788
Net loss from continuing operations					(48,614)				(47,465)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $0, $0, and $433 for quarter ended and $0, $0, and $0 for six months ended					0				0
Net loss					(48,614)				(47,465)
Less: income attributable to non-controlling interests					48				50
Net loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc.					(48,662)				(47,515)
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (1.20)				$ (1.17)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)					$ 0				$ 0
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share					$ (1.2)				$ (1.17)
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (1.20)				$ (1.17)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)					$ 0				$ 0
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share					$ (1.2)				$ (1.17)
As Revised In This Quarterly Report On Form 10-Q [Member]
Net revenues					215,049				613,745
Cost of revenues					133,961				377,588
Gross profit					81,088				236,157
Selling, general and administrative expenses					67,802				219,294
Research and development					5,476				15,612
Restructuring expenses					17,279				20,371
Acquisition costs					2				2,205
Other expense					289				587
Other operating income					2,590				19,262
Operating income (loss)					(7,170)				(2,650)
Interest income					984				2,677
Interest expense					2,221				5,781
Other gain (loss), net					(783)				(1,049)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes					(9,190)				(6,803)
Income taxes (benefit) expense					38,355				38,788
Net loss from continuing operations					(47,545)				(45,591)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax expense of $0, $0, and $433 for quarter ended and $0, $0, and $0 for six months ended					(1,069)				(1,874)
Net loss					(48,614)				(47,465)
Less: income attributable to non-controlling interests					48				50
Net loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc.					$ (48,662)				$ (47,515)
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (1.17)				$ (1.13)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)					$ (0.03)				$ (0.04)
Basic loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share					$ (1.2)				$ (1.17)
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share:
Loss from continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (1.17)				$ (1.13)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)					$ (0.03)				$ (0.04)
Diluted loss attributable to Checkpoint Systems, Inc. per share					$ (1.2)				$ (1.17)

[1] As this business is located in the U.S. and a full valuation allowance is recorded in the U.S., there is no tax impact on the loss from discontinued operations for the three and nine months ended September 23, 2012, and the nine months ended September 25, 2011.