Additional impairment charges.

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Annual sales of business sold.

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- Definition

Number of formal restructuring plans covered under earlier actions.

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Number of Manufacturing operations in packaging service segment for consolidation.

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- Definition

Restructuring and Asset Impairment.

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Restructuring And Related Activities Closure Of Facility

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Restructuring And Related Activities Elimination Of Positions

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Restructuring And Related Activities Facility Sold.

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Income tax benefit.

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- Definition

The gain (loss) resulting from the sale of a disposal group that is not a discontinued operation. It is included in income from continuing operations before income taxes in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph b

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 37, 45

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The quantified amount of the future effect on earnings or cash flow for this type of reduction or increase.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section P
-Subsection 4

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- Definition

Write-off of the carrying amount of goodwill associated with all or a portion of a reporting unit that is sold in the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph e(3)

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The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 15, 16

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- Definition

The cash inflow from sale of buildings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 15

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph c

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Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of known and estimated obligations associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings pursuant to a duly authorized plan, excluding costs or losses pertaining to an entity newly acquired in a business combination, which are expected to be paid in the next twelve months or in the normal operating cycle if longer. Costs of such activities include those for one-time termination benefits, termination of an operating lease or other contract, consolidating or closing facilities, and relocating employees, and costs associated with an ongoing benefit arrangement, but excludes costs associated with the retirement of a long-lived asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section P
-Subsection 4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 146
-Paragraph 20

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 95-3

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Amount of cash paid in the period to fully or partially settle a specified, previously accrued type of restructuring cost.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 95-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section P
-Subsection 3, 4

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 146

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The aggregate amount provided for estimated restructuring charges, remediation costs, and asset impairment loss during an accounting period. Generally, these items are either unusual or infrequent, but not both (in which case they would be extraordinary items).

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Restructuring And Asset Impairment (Details Textual) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended								3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2011	Jun. 27, 2010	Jul. 03, 2011	Jun. 27, 2010	Jul. 03, 2011 Consumer Packaging Segment [Member] Actions 2011[Member] Canada [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Actions 2011[Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] United States [Member] Packaging Services Segment [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] United States [Member] Tubes and Core Plants [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] Brazil [Member] Brazil Plastics [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] Brazil [Member] Plastics Business [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] Brazil [Member] Plastics Business [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] Brazil Plastics [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2011[Member] Brazil Plastics [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Tubes and Cores, Paper Segment [Member] Actions 2010 [Member] North America [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2010 [Member]	Jun. 27, 2010 Actions 2010 [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2010 [Member]	Jun. 27, 2010 Actions 2010 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Actions 2010 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Actions 2010 [Member] Packaging Services Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Tubes and Cores, Paper Segment [Member] Actions 2009 [Member] United States [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Consumer Packaging Segment [Member] Actions 2009 [Member] United States [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2009 [Member]	Jun. 27, 2010 Actions 2009 [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Actions 2009 [Member]	Jun. 27, 2010 Actions 2009 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Actions 2009 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] United States [Member] Molded Plastics [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] United States [Member] Wooden Reel Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] United States [Member] Tubes and Core Plants [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] Europe [Member] Tubes and Core Plants [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] Canada [Member] All Other Sonoco [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] Canada [Member] Tubes and Core Plants [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] Germany [Member] Packaging Services Segment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Actions 2009 [Member] Tubes and Core Plants [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Earlier Actions [Member]	Jun. 27, 2010 Earlier Actions [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Earlier Actions [Member]	Jun. 27, 2010 Earlier Actions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Earlier Actions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Tubes and Cores, Paper Segment [Member] North America [Member]
Restructuring and Asset Impairment (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of manufacturing operations in packaging service segment for consolidation																						2
Number of Plant Closures					1				1							1							1	2							1	1	3	1		1	1	5						2
Gain (loss) from the sale of business										$ 1,053		$ (6,689)
Proceeds from the sale of business										1,150		3,849
Annual sales of business sold													27,000
Goodwill written off as part of the sale							97
Additional Impairment Charges					946
Number of Businesses Sold										1	1																								1
Elimination of Positions due to realign in cost structure							31														112								225
Cash receipts/(payments)							3,571												1,297								(1,633)														(838)
Total Accrual						2,642	2,642	0									559		559		1,341				3,828		3,828			4,696									713		713		981
Number of formal restructuring plans covered under earlier actions																																										2
Future additional cash costs expected to be recognized			2,650																																						850
Cash received from sale of building																																									2,415
Income tax benefit	2,903	924	3,639	2,666										2,318	2,318
Restructuring/Asset impairment charges	$ 9,578	$ 2,511	$ 11,895	$ 6,458		$ 10,258	$ 10,637										$ (1,163)	$ 1,125	$ (1,004)	$ 3,858					$ 338	$ 1,315	$ 1,473	$ 3,102											$ 145	$ 71	$ 789	$ (502)