Registration No. 33-_____

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        South Carolina                                           57-0966962
        --------------                                           ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                               Identification No.)

            One North Second Street, Hartsville, South Carolina 29551
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                             SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
                     1996 Non-Employee Directors' Stock Plan
                              (Full title of Plan)

           Charles J. Hupfer                                Copies to:
          Vice President and                       George S. King, Jr., Esquire
        Chief Financial Officer                   Suzanne Hulst Clawson, Esquire
        One North Second Street                   Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
        Sonoco Products Company                    1426 Main Street, Suite 1200
          Post Office Box 160                     Columbia, South Carolina 29201
   Hartsville, South Carolina 29551                       (803) 779-3080

(Name and address of agent for service)

            (864) 383-7000
     (Telephone number, including
   area code, of agent for service)

                         Calculation of Registration Fee

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            Proposed maximum           Proposed maximum
   Title of securities                                     offering price per         aggregate offering      Amount of registration
     to be registered       Amount to be registered(1)           share(2)                   price(2)                   fee
     ----------------       --------------------------           --------                   --------                   ---

<S>                                  <C>                         <C>                     <C>                          <C>
Common Stock,                        350,000                     $23.965                 $8,387,750.00                $771.67
 no par value
</TABLE>

(1)  This  registration  statement  also  covers such  indeterminable  number of
     additional  shares as may become issuable to prevent  dilution in the event
     of stock splits,  stock dividends or similar  transactions  pursuant to the
     terms of the Plan.

(2)  Estimated  solely  for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
     pursuant  to Rule 457(c)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  based on the
     average of the high and low  trading  prices of the shares  reported by the
     New York Stock Exchange on October 23, 2002.


<PAGE>


                                 PARTS I AND II

         This   registration   statement  relates  to  registration  of  350,000
additional  shares of common stock,  which are reserved for issuance pursuant to
the  Registrant's  1996  Non-Employee  Directors'  Stock  Plan.  A  registration
statement  has  previously  been  filed  with  respect  to other  shares  of the
Registrant's  common  stock  reserved  for  issuance  under the same  plan.  The
contents of such earlier  registration  statement  (File No.  333-12657),  filed
August 25, 1996, are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The Registrant  hereby  incorporates by reference  herein the following
documents:

          (a)  The description of the Registrant's common stock contained in the
               Registrant's  Form 8-A, File No.  001-11261,  filed  February 16,
               1995, as amended by File No. 002-64529,  filed December 30, 1998,
               and any  subsequent  amendment or report filed for the purpose of
               updating such description.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit No.
in Item 601
of Regulation S-K          Description
-----------------          -----------

      4.1                  Articles of Incorporation  (Incorporated by reference
                           to  exhibits  to the  Company's  Form  10-Q  for  the
                           quarter ended June 27, 1999)

      4.2                  Bylaws  (Incorporated by reference to exhibits to the
                           Company's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended June 27,
                           1999)

      5.                   Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15                   Letter re: unaudited  interim  financial  information
                           (incorporated   by   reference  to  exhibits  to  the
                           Company's Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
                           2002 and June 30, 2002)

      23.1                 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

      23.2                 Consent of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. (included in
                           Exhibit 5).

      24                   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)




                                       2
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

The Registrant

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of  Hartsville,  State of South Carolina on October 25,
2002.

                                    Sonoco Products Company


                                    By  s/Harris E. DeLoach, Jr.
                                      --------------------------
                                       Harris E. DeLoach, Jr.
                                       President and Chief Executive Officer

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following person in the capacities
indicated on October 25, 2002.

                                    Sonoco Products Company


                                    By  s/Charles J. Hupfer
                                      ---------------------------------
                                      Charles J. Hupfer
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

         Each person whose  signature  appears  below  constitutes  and appoints
Harris E. DeLoach,  Jr. and Charles J. Hupfer,  jointly and severally,  his true
and lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  with full power of substitution  and
resubstitution,  for him or her and in his or her name,  place and stead, in any
and  all  capacities,  to  sign  this  Registration  Statement  and  any and all
amendments  to this  Registration  Statement,  and to file  the  same,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and other  documentation in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission,  granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and
agents full power and  authority  to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and  necessary to be done in and about the  premises,  as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his substitute
or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities indicated on October 25, 2002.


s/C. W. Coker                               Director (Chairman)
-------------------------------
C. W. Coker

s/ H. E. DeLoach, Jr.                       President, Chief Executive Officer
-------------------------------              and Director
H. E. DeLoach, Jr.

s/C. J. Bradshaw                            Director
-------------------------------
C. J. Bradshaw

s/R. J. Brown                               Director
-------------------------------
R. J. Brown

s/ F. L. H. Coker                           Director
-------------------------------
F. L. H. Coker



                                       3
<PAGE>

s/ J. L. Coker                              Director
-------------------------------
J. L. Coker

s/ A. T. Dickson                            Director
-------------------------------
A. T. Dickson

s/ C. C. Fort                               Director
-------------------------------
C. C. Fort

s/ P. Fulton                                Director
-------------------------------
P. Fulton

s/ B. L. M. Kasriel                         Director
-------------------------------
B. L. M. Kasriel

s/ E. H. Lawton, Jr.                        Director
-------------------------------
E. H. Lawton, Jr.

s/ H. L. McColl, Jr.                        Director
-------------------------------
H. L. McColl, Jr.

s/ John H. Mullin, III                      Director
-------------------------------
John H. Mullin, III

s/ T. E. Whiddon                            Director
-------------------------------
T. E. Whiddon

s/ D. D. Young                              Director
-------------------------------
D. D. Young




                                       4
<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT NO.
IN ITEM 601
OF REGULATION S-K           DESCRIPTION
-----------------           -----------

      4.1                  Articles of Incorporation  (Incorporated by reference
                           to  exhibits  to the  Company's  Form  10-Q  for  the
                           quarter ended June 27, 1999)

      4.2                  Bylaws  (Incorporated by reference to exhibits to the
                           Company's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended June 27,
                           1999)

      5.                   Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15                   Letter re: unaudited  interim  financial  information
                           (incorporated   by   reference  to  exhibits  to  the
                           Company's Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
                           2002 and June 30, 2002)

      23.1                 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

      23.2                 Consent of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. (included in
                           Exhibit 5).

      24                   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)







                                       5
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "s-8dir.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10981}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SONOCO PRODUCTS CO", "cik": "0000091767", "assigned-sic": "2650", "irs-number": "570248420", "state-of-incorporation": "SC", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-100798", "film-number": "02800395"}, "business-address": {"street1": "NORTH SECOND ST", "street2": "P O BOX 160", "city": "HARTSVILLE", "state": "SC", "zip": "29551-0160", "phone": "8033837000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "N. SECOND STREET", "city": "HARTSVILLE", "state": "SC", "zip": "29550"}}
Registration No. 33-_____

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                             SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        South Carolina                                           57-0966962
        --------------                                           ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of                               (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                               Identification No.)

            One North Second Street, Hartsville, South Carolina 29551
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                             SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
                     1996 Non-Employee Directors' Stock Plan
                              (Full title of Plan)

           Charles J. Hupfer                                Copies to:
          Vice President and                       George S. King, Jr., Esquire
        Chief Financial Officer                   Suzanne Hulst Clawson, Esquire
        One North Second Street                   Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
        Sonoco Products Company                    1426 Main Street, Suite 1200
          Post Office Box 160                     Columbia, South Carolina 29201
   Hartsville, South Carolina 29551                       (803) 779-3080

(Name and address of agent for service)

            (864) 383-7000
     (Telephone number, including
   area code, of agent for service)

                         Calculation of Registration Fee
Proposed maximum           Proposed maximum
   Title of securities                                     offering price per         aggregate offering      Amount of registration
     to be registered       Amount to be registered(1)           share(2)                   price(2)                   fee
     ----------------       --------------------------           --------                   --------                   ---
Common Stock,                        350,000                     $23.965                 $8,387,750.00                $771.67
 no par value
(1)  This  registration  statement  also  covers such  indeterminable  number of
     additional  shares as may become issuable to prevent  dilution in the event
     of stock splits,  stock dividends or similar  transactions  pursuant to the
     terms of the Plan.

(2)  Estimated  solely  for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee
     pursuant  to Rule 457(c)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  based on the
     average of the high and low  trading  prices of the shares  reported by the
     New York Stock Exchange on October 23, 2002.
PARTS I AND II

         This   registration   statement  relates  to  registration  of  350,000
additional  shares of common stock,  which are reserved for issuance pursuant to
the  Registrant's  1996  Non-Employee  Directors'  Stock  Plan.  A  registration
statement  has  previously  been  filed  with  respect  to other  shares  of the
Registrant's  common  stock  reserved  for  issuance  under the same  plan.  The
contents of such earlier  registration  statement  (File No.  333-12657),  filed
August 25, 1996, are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The Registrant  hereby  incorporates by reference  herein the following
documents:

          (a)  The description of the Registrant's common stock contained in the
               Registrant's  Form 8-A, File No.  001-11261,  filed  February 16,
               1995, as amended by File No. 002-64529,  filed December 30, 1998,
               and any  subsequent  amendment or report filed for the purpose of
               updating such description.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit No.
in Item 601
of Regulation S-K          Description
-----------------          -----------

      4.1                  Articles of Incorporation  (Incorporated by reference
                           to  exhibits  to the  Company's  Form  10-Q  for  the
                           quarter ended June 27, 1999)

      4.2                  Bylaws  (Incorporated by reference to exhibits to the
                           Company's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended June 27,
                           1999)

      5.                   Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15                   Letter re: unaudited  interim  financial  information
                           (incorporated   by   reference  to  exhibits  to  the
                           Company's Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
                           2002 and June 30, 2002)

      23.1                 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

      23.2                 Consent of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. (included in
                           Exhibit 5).

      24                   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

                                       2
SIGNATURES

The Registrant

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of  Hartsville,  State of South Carolina on October 25,
2002.

                                    Sonoco Products Company

                                    By  s/Harris E. DeLoach, Jr.
                                      --------------------------
                                       Harris E. DeLoach, Jr.
                                       President and Chief Executive Officer

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following person in the capacities
indicated on October 25, 2002.

                                    Sonoco Products Company

                                    By  s/Charles J. Hupfer
                                      ---------------------------------
                                      Charles J. Hupfer
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

         Each person whose  signature  appears  below  constitutes  and appoints
Harris E. DeLoach,  Jr. and Charles J. Hupfer,  jointly and severally,  his true
and lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  with full power of substitution  and
resubstitution,  for him or her and in his or her name,  place and stead, in any
and  all  capacities,  to  sign  this  Registration  Statement  and  any and all
amendments  to this  Registration  Statement,  and to file  the  same,  with all
exhibits  thereto,  and other  documentation in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission,  granting unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and
agents full power and  authority  to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and  necessary to be done in and about the  premises,  as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his substitute
or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities indicated on October 25, 2002.

s/C. W. Coker                               Director (Chairman)
-------------------------------
C. W. Coker

s/ H. E. DeLoach, Jr.                       President, Chief Executive Officer
-------------------------------              and Director
H. E. DeLoach, Jr.

s/C. J. Bradshaw                            Director
-------------------------------
C. J. Bradshaw

s/R. J. Brown                               Director
-------------------------------
R. J. Brown

s/ F. L. H. Coker                           Director
-------------------------------
F. L. H. Coker

                                       3
s/ J. L. Coker                              Director
-------------------------------
J. L. Coker

s/ A. T. Dickson                            Director
-------------------------------
A. T. Dickson

s/ C. C. Fort                               Director
-------------------------------
C. C. Fort

s/ P. Fulton                                Director
-------------------------------
P. Fulton

s/ B. L. M. Kasriel                         Director
-------------------------------
B. L. M. Kasriel

s/ E. H. Lawton, Jr.                        Director
-------------------------------
E. H. Lawton, Jr.

s/ H. L. McColl, Jr.                        Director
-------------------------------
H. L. McColl, Jr.

s/ John H. Mullin, III                      Director
-------------------------------
John H. Mullin, III

s/ T. E. Whiddon                            Director
-------------------------------
T. E. Whiddon

s/ D. D. Young                              Director
-------------------------------
D. D. Young

                                       4
EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT NO.
IN ITEM 601
OF REGULATION S-K           DESCRIPTION
-----------------           -----------

      4.1                  Articles of Incorporation  (Incorporated by reference
                           to  exhibits  to the  Company's  Form  10-Q  for  the
                           quarter ended June 27, 1999)

      4.2                  Bylaws  (Incorporated by reference to exhibits to the
                           Company's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended June 27,
                           1999)

      5.                   Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15                   Letter re: unaudited  interim  financial  information
                           (incorporated   by   reference  to  exhibits  to  the
                           Company's Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
                           2002 and June 30, 2002)

      23.1                 Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

      23.2                 Consent of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. (included in
                           Exhibit 5).

      24                   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

                                       5