Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
Net sales	$ 3,638,200,000	$ 3,323,600,000	$ 3,616,700,000
Costs of products sold	2,923,500,000	2,638,700,000	2,946,900,000
Gross profit	714,700,000	684,900,000	669,800,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	380,400,000	376,800,000	413,200,000
Restructuring charges	12,700,000	26,900,000	40,000,000
Timberland gains	0	0	(24,300,000)
Non-cash asset impairment charges	7,800,000	51,400,000	45,900,000
Goodwill impairment charges	13,000,000	0	0
Pension settlement charge	27,100,000	0	0
Gain on disposal of properties, plants and equipment, net	(400,000)	(10,300,000)	(7,000,000)
Loss on disposal of businesses, net	1,700,000	14,500,000	9,200,000
Operating profit	272,400,000	225,600,000	192,800,000
Interest expense, net	60,100,000	75,400,000	74,800,000
Other expense, net	12,000,000	9,000,000	3,200,000
Income before income tax expense and equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net	200,300,000	141,200,000	114,800,000
Income tax expense	67,200,000	66,500,000	48,400,000
Equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax	(2,000,000)	(800,000)	(800,000)
Net income	135,100,000	75,500,000	67,200,000
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16,500,000)	(600,000)	4,700,000
Net income attributable to Greif, Inc.	$ 118,600,000	$ 74,900,000	$ 71,900,000
Class A Common Stock
Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc.:
EPS Basic (usd per share)	$ 2.02	$ 1.28	$ 1.23
Diluted earnings per share attributed to Greif, Inc.:
EPS Diluted (usd per share)	2.02	1.28	1.23
Class B Common Stock
Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc.:
EPS Basic (usd per share)	3.02	1.90	1.83
Diluted earnings per share attributed to Greif, Inc.:
EPS Diluted (usd per share)	$ 3.02	$ 1.90	$ 1.83