CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,303,296	$ 1,351,705
Cost of sales	1,036,706	1,081,584
Gross profit	266,590	270,121
Selling, general and administrative expenses	123,888	142,561
Total Restructuring/Asset Impairment Charges	12,599	10,672
Operating profit	130,103	116,888
Non-operating pension costs	7,579	6,041
Interest expense	16,529	16,032
Interest income	484	647
Income before income taxes	106,479	95,462
Provision for income taxes	26,756	22,624
Income before equity in earnings of affiliates	79,723	72,838
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax	513	930
Net income	80,236	73,768
Net loss/(income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	209	(105)
Net income attributable to Sonoco	$ 80,445	$ 73,663
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	100,855	100,640
Diluted (in shares)	101,071	101,072
Net income attributable to Sonoco:
Basic (in usd per share)	$ 0.80	$ 0.73
Diluted (in usd per share)	$ 0.80	$ 0.73