Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017
Net sales	$ 4,595,000,000.0	$ 3,873,800,000	$ 3,638,200,000
Costs of products sold	3,635,100,000	3,084,900,000	2,923,500,000
Gross profit	959,900,000	788,900,000	714,700,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	507,400,000	397,200,000	379,700,000
Restructuring charges	26,100,000	18,600,000	12,700,000
Acquisition-related costs	29,700,000	700,000	700,000
Non-cash asset impairment charges	7,800,000	8,300,000	7,800,000
Goodwill impairment charges	0	0	13,000,000.0
Gain on disposal of properties, plants and equipment, net	(13,900,000)	(5,600,000)	(400,000)
(Gain) loss on disposal of businesses, net	3,700,000	(800,000)	1,700,000
Operating profit	399,100,000	370,500,000	299,500,000
Interest expense, net	112,500,000	51,000,000.0	60,100,000
Debt extinguishment charges	22,000,000.0	0	0
Non-cash pension settlement charges	0	1,300,000	27,100,000
Other expense, net	2,600,000	18,400,000	12,000,000.0
Income before income tax expense and equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net	262,000,000.0	299,800,000	200,300,000
Income tax expense	70,700,000	73,300,000	67,200,000
Equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax	(2,900,000)	(3,000,000.0)	(2,000,000.0)
Net income	194,200,000	229,500,000	135,100,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(23,200,000)	(20,100,000)	(16,500,000)
Net income attributable to Greif, Inc.	$ 171,000,000.0	$ 209,400,000	$ 118,600,000
Class A common stock
Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:
Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	$ 2.89	$ 3.56	$ 2.02
Diluted earnings per share attributed to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	2.89	3.55	2.02
Class B common stock
Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:
Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	4.33	5.33	3.02
Diluted earnings per share attributed to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	$ 4.33	$ 5.33	$ 3.02