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Financial Instruments, Risk Management Activities, and Fair Values (Narrative) (Details)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Nov. 23, 2014
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
USD ($)
Nov. 24, 2013
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Maximum [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Maximum [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Venezuela [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Venezuela [Member]
Maximum [Member]
Oct. 31, 2014
1.4% Notes Due October 2017 Member
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
1.4% Notes Due October 2017 Member
USD ($)
Oct. 31, 2014
2.2% Notes Due October 2019 Member
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
2.2% Notes Due October 2019 Member
USD ($)
Jan. 31, 2014
3.65% Notes Due February 2024 Member
USD ($)
Feb. 23, 2014
3.65% Notes Due February 2024 Member
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
3.65% Notes Due February 2024 Member
Feb. 24, 2013
0.875% Notes Due January 2016 Member
USD ($)
Nov. 30, 2013
2.1% Euro-Denominated Bonds
EUR (€)
Nov. 24, 2013
2.1% Euro-Denominated Bonds
EUR (€)
Nov. 23, 2014
Interest Rate Contracts [Member]
USD ($)
May 25, 2014
Interest Rate Contracts [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Foreign Exchange Contracts [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Equity Swap [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Commodity Contracts [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
USD ($)
Nov. 23, 2014
Agricultural Related Derivative [Member]
USD ($)
Feb. 23, 2014
Treasury Lock [Member]
USD ($)
Financial Instruments Owned At Fair Value [Abstract]                                                  
Marketable Securities Pledged as Collateral $ 2.3us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsOwnedAndPledgedAsCollateralAtFairValue $ 2.3us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsOwnedAndPledgedAsCollateralAtFairValue                                              
Accounts receivable pledge as collateral 21.5us-gaap_OtherSecuredFinancings 21.5us-gaap_OtherSecuredFinancings                                              
Long Term Debt, Fair Value 8,914.8us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure 8,914.8us-gaap_LoansPayableFairValueDisclosure                                              
Long-term debt, carrying value 8,463.8gis_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsAggregate 8,463.8gis_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsAggregate                                              
Derivative [Line Items]                                                  
Derivative, Notional Amount                                   1,250.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
250.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
1,100.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
119.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySwapMember
634.9invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
264.8invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_EnergyRelatedDerivativeMember
370.1invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= gis_AgriculturalRelatedDerivativeMember
250.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_TreasuryLockMember
Derivative Contracts Inputs, Average Period of Utilization                                           12 months      
Derivative, Average Fixed Interest Rate                                   1.60%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
0.90%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
          1.99%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_TreasuryLockMember
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage               1.40%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_OneFourPercentNotesDueOctober2017Member
1.40%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_OneFourPercentNotesDueOctober2017Member
2.20%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoTwoPercentNotesDueOctober2019Member
2.20%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoTwoPercentNotesDueOctober2019Member
3.65%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_ThreeSixFivePercentNotesDueFebruary2024Member
  3.65%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_ThreeSixFivePercentNotesDueFebruary2024Member
0.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_ZeroEightSevenFivePercentNotesDueJanuary2016Member
2.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoOnePercentNotesDueNovember2020Member
                 
Cash paid (received) upon settlement                                                 17.9us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromHedgeFinancingActivities
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_TreasuryLockMember
Debt Instrument Face Amount                 500.0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_OneFourPercentNotesDueOctober2017Member
  500.0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoTwoPercentNotesDueOctober2019Member
      250.0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_ZeroEightSevenFivePercentNotesDueJanuary2016Member
                   
Debt Instrument Term                         10 years                        
Issuance of long-term debt   1,274.5us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt 923.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt         500.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_OneFourPercentNotesDueOctober2017Member
  500.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoTwoPercentNotesDueOctober2019Member
  500.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_ThreeSixFivePercentNotesDueFebruary2024Member
500.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_ThreeSixFivePercentNotesDueFebruary2024Member
    500.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoOnePercentNotesDueNovember2020Member
500.0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= gis_TwoOnePercentNotesDueNovember2020Member
               
Floating interest rate cash flow hedge ineffectiveness       1.0us-gaap_GainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgeIneffectiveness
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
1.0us-gaap_GainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgeIneffectiveness
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
                                       
Fixed interest rate fair value hedge ineffectiveness 1.2us-gaap_GainLossOnInterestRateFairValueHedgeIneffectiveness       1.0us-gaap_GainLossOnInterestRateFairValueHedgeIneffectiveness
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
                                       
Foreign Exchange Risk [Abstract]                                                  
Maximum Length of Time Hedged in Foreign Currency Cash Flow Hedge   18 months                                              
Foreign currency cash flow hedge ineffectiveness       1.0us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeIneffectiveness
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
1.0us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeIneffectiveness
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
                                       
Deferred net foreign currency gains (losses) in AOCI (42.4)gis_DeferredNetForeignCurrencyTransactionGainsLossesAfterTaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome (42.4)gis_DeferredNetForeignCurrencyTransactionGainsLossesAfterTaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome                                              
Assets of Subsidiary as Percentage of Consolidated Assets             1.00%gis_AssetsOfSubsidiaryAsPercentageOfConsolidatedAssets
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_VE
                                   
Liabilities of Subsidiary as Percentage of Consolidated Liabilities             1.00%gis_LiabilitiesOfSubsidiaryAsPercentageOfConsolidatedLiabilities
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_VE
                                   
Net Sales of Subsidiary as Percentage of Consolidated Net Sales             1.00%gis_NetSalesOfSubsidiaryAsPercentageOfConsolidatedNetSales
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_VE
                                   
Operating Profit of Subsidiary as Percentage of Consolidated Segment Operating Profit             1.00%gis_OperatingProfitOfSubsidiaryAsPercentageOfConsolidatedSegmentOperatingProfit
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_VE
                                   
Non-US dollar cash balances           1.0gis_SubsidiaryCashDenominatedInCurrencyOtherThanFunctionalCurrency
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_VE
                                     
Amounts recorded in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Abstract]                                                  
Net Pre-tax Gains (Losses) in AOCI Expected to be Reclassified into Net Earnings within the Next 12 Months (2.0)gis_HedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedDuringNextTwelveMonthsNet (2.0)gis_HedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedDuringNextTwelveMonthsNet                                              
Credit Risk Related Contingent Features [Abstract]                                                  
Derivative Net Liability Position Aggregate Fair Value 37.8us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue 37.8us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue                                              
Additional Collateral Aggregate Fair Value 37.8us-gaap_AdditionalCollateralAggregateFairValue 37.8us-gaap_AdditionalCollateralAggregateFairValue                                              
Credit Risk [Abstract]                                                  
Concentration Risk Credit Risk Financial Instrument Maximum Exposure   5.6us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentMaximumExposure                                              
Accounts Payable to Suppliers that Utilize Third Party Service $ 436.8gis_AccountsPayableToSuppliersThatUtilizeThirdPartyService $ 436.8gis_AccountsPayableToSuppliersThatUtilizeThirdPartyService