EXHIBIT 5

                          Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
                                Attorneys at Law
                               The Palmetto Center
                          1426 Main Street, Suite 1200
                         Columbia, South Carolina 29201
                                 (803) 779-3080





                                October 28, 2002

Sonoco Products Company
North Second Street
Hartsville, South Carolina 29551


Gentlemen:

     In connection with the  registration  under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Act") of 350,000  shares of the common  stock  (the  "Common  Stock") of Sonoco
Products  Company,  a South Carolina  corporation (the "Company"),  for issuance
pursuant to the Sonoco Products Company 1996 Non-Employee Directors' Stock Plan,
we have examined such corporate records,  certificates and other documents,  and
such questions of law, as we have  considered  necessary or appropriate  for the
purposes of this opinion.

     Upon the basis of such examination it is our opinion that original issuance
shares of the Common Stock,  when issued upon the terms and conditions set forth
in the  Registration  Statement  filed by the  Company  in  connection  with the
registration  of the  Common  Stock,  and  upon  receipt  of  the  consideration
therefor, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     We consent to be named in the Registration  Statement as attorneys who will
pass upon certain legal matters in connection with the offering described in the
Registration  Statement,  and to the  filing  of a copy  of this  opinion  as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby
admit that we are in the  category of persons  whose  consent is required  under
Section 7 of the Act.

                                           Very truly yours,

                                           s/ Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

                                           Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.