Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	Total	Capital Stock	Treasury Stock	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Greif, Inc. Equity	Noncontrolling interests	Out Of Period	Out Of Period Retained Earnings	Out Of Period Greif, Inc. Equity	Current Period	Current Period Retained Earnings	Current Period Greif, Inc. Equity
Beginning balance, value at Oct. 31, 2013	$ 1,379.9	$ 129.4	$ (131.0)	$ 1,418.8	$ (152.6)	$ 1,264.6	$ 115.3
Beginning balance (shares) at Oct. 31, 2013		47,577	29,265
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	44.9			91.5		91.5	(46.6)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(86.9)				(87.6)	(87.6)	0.7
Reclassification of cash flow hedges to earnings, net of income tax benefit	0.4				0.4	0.4
Unrealized gain on cash flow hedges, net of income tax expense	0.1				0.1	0.1
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of income tax expense	(34.7)				(34.7)	(34.7)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(76.2)					(30.3)
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests and other	11.7						11.7
Dividends paid	(98.6)			(98.6)		(98.6)
Stock options exercised	$ 1.7	$ 1.6	$ 0.1			1.7
Stock options exercised (shares)	69	69	(69)
Restricted stock executives and directors	$ 1.2	$ 1.1	$ 0.1			1.2
Restricted stock executives and directors (shares)		22	(22)
Tax benefit of stock options and other	0.5	$ 0.5				0.5
Long-term incentive shares issued	3.0	$ 2.9	$ 0.1			3.0
Long-term incentive shares issued (shares)		56	(56)
Ending balance, value at Oct. 31, 2014	1,223.2	$ 135.5	$ (130.7)	1,411.7	(274.4)	1,142.1	81.1
Ending balance (shares) at Oct. 31, 2014		47,724	29,118
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	67.2			71.9		71.9	(4.7)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(130.9)				(112.1)	(112.1)	(18.8)
Reclassification of cash flow hedges to earnings, net of income tax benefit	0.1				0.1	0.1
Unrealized gain on cash flow hedges, net of income tax expense	0.0
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of income tax expense	9.0				9.0	9.0
Comprehensive income (loss)	(54.6)					(31.1)
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests and other	(9.7)			(0.4)		(0.4)	(9.3)
Dividends paid	(98.7)			(98.7)		(98.7)
Stock options exercised	$ 0.2	$ 0.2				0.2
Stock options exercised (shares)	10	10	(10)
Restricted stock executives and directors	$ 1.3	$ 1.3				1.3
Restricted stock executives and directors (shares)		30	(30)
Tax benefit of stock options and other	0.2	$ 0.2				0.2
Long-term incentive shares issued	2.0	$ 1.9	$ 0.1			2.0
Long-term incentive shares issued (shares)		50	(50)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest	(4.0)						(4.0)
Ending balance, value at Oct. 31, 2015	1,059.9	$ 139.1	$ (130.6)	1,384.5	(377.4)	1,015.6	44.3
Ending balance (shares) at Oct. 31, 2015		47,814	29,028
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	75.5			74.9		74.9	0.6
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(17.6)				(13.6)	(13.6)	(4.0)
Reclassification of cash flow hedges to earnings, net of income tax benefit	0.0
Unrealized gain on cash flow hedges, net of income tax expense	0.0
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of income tax expense	(7.4)				(7.4)	(7.4)
Comprehensive income (loss)	50.5					53.9
Dividends paid	$ (98.7)			(98.7)		(98.7)
Stock options exercised (shares)	0
Restricted stock executives and directors	$ 1.4	$ 1.3	$ 0.1			1.4
Restricted stock executives and directors (shares)		47	(47)
Long-term incentive shares issued	1.1	$ 1.0	$ 0.1			1.1
Long-term incentive shares issued (shares)		41	(41)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest	(3.9)						(3.9)
Mark to redemption value								$ (19.8)	$ (19.8)	$ (19.8)	$ (2.1)	$ (2.1)	$ (2.1)
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(21.6)			1.2		1.2	(22.8)
Net income (loss) allocated to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(4.8)						(4.8)
Other	(0.4)						(0.4)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	1.5						1.5
Treasury shares acquired	(5.2)		$ (5.2)			(5.2)
Treasury shares acquired (shares)		(110)	110
Ending balance, value at Oct. 31, 2016	$ 957.9	$ 141.4	$ (135.6)	$ 1,340.0	$ (398.4)	$ 947.4	$ 10.5
Ending balance (shares) at Oct. 31, 2016		47,792	29,050