Registration No. 33-_____

                                  UNITED STATES
                       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                             57-0248420
           (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I.R.S. Employer
           incorporation or organization)                 Identification No.)

            One North Second Street, Hartsville, South Carolina 29550
             (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                             SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
                          2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)

            Charles J. Hupfer                          Copies to:
        Senior Vice President and             George S. King, Jr., Esquire
         Chief Financial Officer             Suzanne Hulst Clawson, Esquire
         Sonoco Products Company             Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
         One North Second Street              1201 Main Street, Suite 2200
           Post Office Box 160               Columbia, South Carolina 29201
    Hartsville, South Carolina 29551                 (803) 779-3080

 (Name and address of agent for service)

            (843) 383-7000
     (Telephone number, including
     area code, of agent for service)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large  accelerated  filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated  filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of "large accelerated  filer,"  "accelerated filer" and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer [X]                    Accelerated filer  [ ]
Non-accelerated filer   [ ]                    Smaller reporting company  [ ]
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

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

<S>                       <C>                                  <C>                    <C>                          <C>
Common Stock,             6,872,487 shares                     $31.19                 $214,352,869.53              $8,424.07
 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) and 457(h)(1)  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 July 18,  2008,  which was
       $31.19.
                                                        Exhibit Index on page 8.


<PAGE>




                                  INTRODUCTION

         This Registration Statement relates to registration of 6,872,487 shares
of Sonoco  Products  Company  common  stock,  which are  reserved  for  issuance
pursuant to the Sonoco Products Company 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

       The documents containing the information  specified in Part I of Form S-8
will be sent or given to employees,  directors,  consultants and advisors of the
Registrant  chosen to participate in the Sonoco Products  Company 2008 Long-Term
Incentive  Plan as required by Rule 428(b)(1)  promulgated  under the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act").

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The Registrant  hereby  incorporates by reference into this Registration
 Statement the following documents filed with the Commission:

     (a)  The  Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for the  year  ended
          December 31, 2007 (File No. 000-00516).

     (b)  All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) or
          15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  since  the end of the
          fiscal year covered by the  Registrant's  most recent Annual Report on
          Form 10-K.

     (c)  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.

       All documents  subsequently filed by the Registrant  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective  amendment that indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold,  shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration  statement and to
be a part  hereof  from the date of  filing  of such  documents.  Any  statement
contained in a document incorporated by reference,  or deemed to be incorporated
by  reference,  herein  shall be deemed to be  modified  or  superseded  for the
purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained
in this  Registration  Statement or any other  subsequently  filed document that
also is incorporated by reference, or is deemed to be incorporated by reference,
herein  modifies or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any  statement so modified or
superseded  shall  not be  deemed,  except  as so  modified  or  superseded,  to
constitute a part of this  Registration  Statement.  The Company's  Exchange Act
file number with the Commission is 000-00516.

 Item 4.      Description of Securities

              Not applicable.

 Item 5.      Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

              Not applicable.



                                       2
<PAGE>



 Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Article VIII of the  Registrant's  Bylaws  provides that any present or
 former  director,  officer or employee of the corporation or any person who, at
 the  request of the  corporation,  may have  served as  director  or officer of
 another  corporation in which it owns shares or of which it is a creditor shall
 be entitled to reimbursement  of expenses and other  liabilities to the maximum
 extent  permitted by the laws of the State of South Carolina or by order of any
 court having jurisdiction in any action or proceeding to which he is a party by
 reason of being or having been a director, officer or employee.

         Under  the  South  Carolina  Business  Corporation  Act  of  1988  (the
 "Corporation  Act"),  a  corporation  has the power to indemnify  directors and
 officers  who meet the  standards  of good  faith and  reasonable  belief  that
 conduct was lawful and in the  corporate  interest (or not opposed  thereto) as
 set  forth  in the  Corporation  Act.  The  Corporation  Act  also  empowers  a
 corporation to provide  insurance for directors and officers against  liability
 arising out of their  positions  even though the insurance  coverage is broader
 than the power of the  corporation  to indemnify.  Under the  Corporation  Act,
 unless limited by its articles of incorporation, a corporation must indemnify a
 director or officer who is wholly  successful,  on the merits or otherwise,  in
 the defense of any  proceeding  to which he was a party  because he is or was a
 director or officer against  reasonable  expenses incurred by him in connection
 with the proceeding.  The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation do not provide
 otherwise.   The   provisions   of  the   Corporation   Act  which   deal  with
 indemnification  are codified at Sections  33-8-500 through -580 of the Code of
 Laws of South Carolina 1976, amended.

         In  addition,   the  Registrant   maintains  directors'  and  officers'
 liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers.

 Item 7.      Exemption from Registration Claimed.

              Not applicable.

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  Registrant's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended  June 27,
               1999)

      4.2      Bylaws (incorporated by reference to exhibits to the Registrant's
               Form 8-K filed December 6, 2007)

      4.3      Sonoco   Products   Company   2008   Long-Term   Incentive   Plan
               (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 1 to the  Company's  Proxy
               Statement  for its Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  on April 16,
               2008)

      5        Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15       Letter re: unaudited interim financial information

      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)



                                       3
<PAGE>

 Item 9.  Undertakings.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

         (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by section  10(a)(3)  of the
         Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
         effective  date  of the  Registration  Statement  (or the  most  recent
         post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,   individually  or  in  the
         aggregate,  represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
         in the  Registration  Statement.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  any
         increase  or  decrease  in volume of  securities  offered (if the total
         dollar  value of  securities  offered  would not exceed  that which was
         registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
         maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
         with the Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,  the
         changes in volume and price  represent no more than a 20% change in the
         maximum  aggregate  offering  price  set forth in the  "Calculation  of
         Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement;

         (iii) To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
         distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration  Statement or
         any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

         Provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (1)(i)  and  (1)  (ii)  of  this
         undertaking do not apply to this Registration  Statement on Form S-8 to
         the  extent  that  the  information   required  to  be  included  in  a
         post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is contained in reports
         filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to
         Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that
         are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

         (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
 Securities Act of 1933, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
 be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
 the offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
 bona fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
 any of the securities  being  registered which remain unsold at the termination
 of the offering.

         (4) That,  for the purpose of  determining  liability of the Registrant
 under the Securities  Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial  distribution
 of the securities:

         The undersigned  Registrant  undertakes  that in a primary  offering of
 securities  of  the  undersigned   Registrant  pursuant  to  this  Registration
 Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to
 the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means
 of any of the following  communications,  the undersigned  Registrant will be a
 seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities
 to such purchaser:

         (i)  Any  preliminary  prospectus  or  prospectus  of  the  undersigned
         Registrant  relating to the offering  required to be filed  pursuant to
         Rule 424;

         (ii) Any free writing  prospectus  relating to the offering prepared by
         or on behalf of the  undersigned  Registrant  or used or referred to by
         the undersigned Registrant;

         (iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus  relating to the
         offering   containing   material   information  about  the  undersigned
         Registrant  or  its  securities   provided  by  or  on  behalf  of  the
         undersigned Registrant; and


                                       4
<PAGE>

         (iv) Any other  communication  that is an offer in the offering made by
         the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

         (5) The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
 determining  any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
 Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
 Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 (and,  where  applicable,  each  filing of an
 employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of the
 Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934) that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
 Registration  Statement  shall be  deemed  to be a new  Registration  Statement
 relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
 at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (6)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
 Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling
 persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,
 the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the opinion of the  Securities  and
 Exchange Commission such  indemnification is against public policy as expressed
 in the Act and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim for
 indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than  the  payment  by the
 Registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling
 person of the  Registrant  in the  successful  defense of any  action,  suit or
 proceeding)  is asserted by such  director,  officer or  controlling  person in
 connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
 the  opinion  of its  counsel  the  matter  has  been  settled  by  controlling
 precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether
 such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
 will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.



                                       5
<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 July 21, 2008.

                              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  persons  in  the
capacities indicated on July 21, 2008.

                                  Sonoco Products Company


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


                                  By: s/Barry L. Saunders
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                         Barry L. Saunders
                                         Vice President and Corporate Controller
                                         (principal accounting officer)

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         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 July 16, 2008.


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

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

                                             Director
------------------------------------
J. L. Coker



                                       6
<PAGE>

                                             Director
------------------------------------
P. L. Davies

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

s/E. H. Lawton III                           Director
------------------------------------
E. H. Lawton III

s/J. E. Linville                             Director
------------------------------------
J. E. Linville

s/J. M. Micali                               Director
------------------------------------
J. M. Micali

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

s/L. W. Newton                               Director
------------------------------------
L. W. Newton

                                             Director
------------------------------------
M. D. Oken

s/P. R. Rollier                              Director
------------------------------------
P. R. Rollier

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





                                       7
<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  Registrant's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended  June 27,
               1999)

      4.2      Bylaws (incorporated by reference to exhibits to the Registrant's
               Form 8-K filed December 6, 2007)

      4.3      Sonoco   Products   Company   2008   Long-Term   Incentive   Plan
               (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 1 to the  Company's  Proxy
               Statement  for its Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  on April 16,
               2008)

      5        Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15       Letter re: unaudited interim financial information

      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)


















                                       8
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "sonocos-8.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 22204}]
{"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": "333-152531", "film-number": "08970140"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE NORTH SECOND ST", "street2": "P O BOX 160", "city": "HARTSVILLE", "state": "SC", "zip": "29551-0160", "phone": "8433837000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE N. SECOND STREET", "city": "HARTSVILLE", "state": "SC", "zip": "29550"}}
Registration No. 33-_____

                                  UNITED STATES
                       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                             57-0248420
           (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I.R.S. Employer
           incorporation or organization)                 Identification No.)

            One North Second Street, Hartsville, South Carolina 29550
             (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                             SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY
                          2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)

            Charles J. Hupfer                          Copies to:
        Senior Vice President and             George S. King, Jr., Esquire
         Chief Financial Officer             Suzanne Hulst Clawson, Esquire
         Sonoco Products Company             Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
         One North Second Street              1201 Main Street, Suite 2200
           Post Office Box 160               Columbia, South Carolina 29201
    Hartsville, South Carolina 29551                 (803) 779-3080

 (Name and address of agent for service)

            (843) 383-7000
     (Telephone number, including
     area code, of agent for service)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large  accelerated  filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated  filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definitions of "large accelerated  filer,"  "accelerated filer" and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer [X]                    Accelerated filer  [ ]
Non-accelerated filer   [ ]                    Smaller reporting company  [ ]
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Calculation of Registration Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Title of securities                                    Proposed maximum           Proposed maximum
     to be registered     Amount to be registered(1)     offering price per         aggregate offering       Amount of registration
                                                              share(2)                   price(2)                     fee
------------------------- --------------------------- -------------------------- -------------------------- ------------------------
Common Stock,             6,872,487 shares                     $31.19                 $214,352,869.53              $8,424.07
 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) and 457(h)(1)  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 July 18,  2008,  which was
       $31.19.
                                                        Exhibit Index on page 8.
INTRODUCTION

         This Registration Statement relates to registration of 6,872,487 shares
of Sonoco  Products  Company  common  stock,  which are  reserved  for  issuance
pursuant to the Sonoco Products Company 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

       The documents containing the information  specified in Part I of Form S-8
will be sent or given to employees,  directors,  consultants and advisors of the
Registrant  chosen to participate in the Sonoco Products  Company 2008 Long-Term
Incentive  Plan as required by Rule 428(b)(1)  promulgated  under the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act").

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The Registrant  hereby  incorporates by reference into this Registration
 Statement the following documents filed with the Commission:

     (a)  The  Registrant's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for the  year  ended
          December 31, 2007 (File No. 000-00516).

     (b)  All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) or
          15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  since  the end of the
          fiscal year covered by the  Registrant's  most recent Annual Report on
          Form 10-K.

     (c)  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.

       All documents  subsequently filed by the Registrant  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the
filing of a post-effective  amendment that indicates that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold,  shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration  statement and to
be a part  hereof  from the date of  filing  of such  documents.  Any  statement
contained in a document incorporated by reference,  or deemed to be incorporated
by  reference,  herein  shall be deemed to be  modified  or  superseded  for the
purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained
in this  Registration  Statement or any other  subsequently  filed document that
also is incorporated by reference, or is deemed to be incorporated by reference,
herein  modifies or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any  statement so modified or
superseded  shall  not be  deemed,  except  as so  modified  or  superseded,  to
constitute a part of this  Registration  Statement.  The Company's  Exchange Act
file number with the Commission is 000-00516.

 Item 4.      Description of Securities

              Not applicable.

 Item 5.      Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

              Not applicable.

                                       2
Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Article VIII of the  Registrant's  Bylaws  provides that any present or
 former  director,  officer or employee of the corporation or any person who, at
 the  request of the  corporation,  may have  served as  director  or officer of
 another  corporation in which it owns shares or of which it is a creditor shall
 be entitled to reimbursement  of expenses and other  liabilities to the maximum
 extent  permitted by the laws of the State of South Carolina or by order of any
 court having jurisdiction in any action or proceeding to which he is a party by
 reason of being or having been a director, officer or employee.

         Under  the  South  Carolina  Business  Corporation  Act  of  1988  (the
 "Corporation  Act"),  a  corporation  has the power to indemnify  directors and
 officers  who meet the  standards  of good  faith and  reasonable  belief  that
 conduct was lawful and in the  corporate  interest (or not opposed  thereto) as
 set  forth  in the  Corporation  Act.  The  Corporation  Act  also  empowers  a
 corporation to provide  insurance for directors and officers against  liability
 arising out of their  positions  even though the insurance  coverage is broader
 than the power of the  corporation  to indemnify.  Under the  Corporation  Act,
 unless limited by its articles of incorporation, a corporation must indemnify a
 director or officer who is wholly  successful,  on the merits or otherwise,  in
 the defense of any  proceeding  to which he was a party  because he is or was a
 director or officer against  reasonable  expenses incurred by him in connection
 with the proceeding.  The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation do not provide
 otherwise.   The   provisions   of  the   Corporation   Act  which   deal  with
 indemnification  are codified at Sections  33-8-500 through -580 of the Code of
 Laws of South Carolina 1976, amended.

         In  addition,   the  Registrant   maintains  directors'  and  officers'
 liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers.

 Item 7.      Exemption from Registration Claimed.

              Not applicable.

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  Registrant's  Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended  June 27,
               1999)

      4.2      Bylaws (incorporated by reference to exhibits to the Registrant's
               Form 8-K filed December 6, 2007)

      4.3      Sonoco   Products   Company   2008   Long-Term   Incentive   Plan
               (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 1 to the  Company's  Proxy
               Statement  for its Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  on April 16,
               2008)

      5        Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15       Letter re: unaudited interim financial information

      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)

                                       3
Item 9.  Undertakings.

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

         (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by section  10(a)(3)  of the
         Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
         effective  date  of the  Registration  Statement  (or the  most  recent
         post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,   individually  or  in  the
         aggregate,  represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
         in the  Registration  Statement.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  any
         increase  or  decrease  in volume of  securities  offered (if the total
         dollar  value of  securities  offered  would not exceed  that which was
         registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
         maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
         with the Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,  the
         changes in volume and price  represent no more than a 20% change in the
         maximum  aggregate  offering  price  set forth in the  "Calculation  of
         Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement;

         (iii) To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
         distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration  Statement or
         any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

         Provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (1)(i)  and  (1)  (ii)  of  this
         undertaking do not apply to this Registration  Statement on Form S-8 to
         the  extent  that  the  information   required  to  be  included  in  a
         post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is contained in reports
         filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to
         Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that
         are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

         (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
 Securities Act of 1933, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
 be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
 the offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
 bona fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
 any of the securities  being  registered which remain unsold at the termination
 of the offering.

         (4) That,  for the purpose of  determining  liability of the Registrant
 under the Securities  Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial  distribution
 of the securities:

         The undersigned  Registrant  undertakes  that in a primary  offering of
 securities  of  the  undersigned   Registrant  pursuant  to  this  Registration
 Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to
 the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means
 of any of the following  communications,  the undersigned  Registrant will be a
 seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities
 to such purchaser:

         (i)  Any  preliminary  prospectus  or  prospectus  of  the  undersigned
         Registrant  relating to the offering  required to be filed  pursuant to
         Rule 424;

         (ii) Any free writing  prospectus  relating to the offering prepared by
         or on behalf of the  undersigned  Registrant  or used or referred to by
         the undersigned Registrant;

         (iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus  relating to the
         offering   containing   material   information  about  the  undersigned
         Registrant  or  its  securities   provided  by  or  on  behalf  of  the
         undersigned Registrant; and

                                       4
(iv) Any other  communication  that is an offer in the offering made by
         the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

         (5) The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
 determining  any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
 Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
 Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 (and,  where  applicable,  each  filing of an
 employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of the
 Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934) that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
 Registration  Statement  shall be  deemed  to be a new  Registration  Statement
 relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
 at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (6)  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under the
 Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling
 persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,
 the  Registrant  has been  advised  that in the opinion of the  Securities  and
 Exchange Commission such  indemnification is against public policy as expressed
 in the Act and is,  therefore,  unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim for
 indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other  than  the  payment  by the
 Registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling
 person of the  Registrant  in the  successful  defense of any  action,  suit or
 proceeding)  is asserted by such  director,  officer or  controlling  person in
 connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
 the  opinion  of its  counsel  the  matter  has  been  settled  by  controlling
 precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether
 such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
 will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
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 July 21, 2008.

                              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  persons  in  the
capacities indicated on July 21, 2008.

                                  Sonoco Products Company

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

                                  By: s/Barry L. Saunders
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                         Barry L. Saunders
                                         Vice President and Corporate Controller
                                         (principal accounting officer)

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         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 July 16, 2008.

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

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

                                             Director
------------------------------------
J. L. Coker

                                       6
Director
------------------------------------
P. L. Davies

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

s/E. H. Lawton III                           Director
------------------------------------
E. H. Lawton III

s/J. E. Linville                             Director
------------------------------------
J. E. Linville

s/J. M. Micali                               Director
------------------------------------
J. M. Micali

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

s/L. W. Newton                               Director
------------------------------------
L. W. Newton

                                             Director
------------------------------------
M. D. Oken

s/P. R. Rollier                              Director
------------------------------------
P. R. Rollier

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

                                       7
EXHIBIT INDEX

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

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

      4.2      Bylaws (incorporated by reference to exhibits to the Registrant's
               Form 8-K filed December 6, 2007)

      4.3      Sonoco   Products   Company   2008   Long-Term   Incentive   Plan
               (incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 1 to the  Company's  Proxy
               Statement  for its Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  on April 16,
               2008)

      5        Opinion of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

      15       Letter re: unaudited interim financial information

      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)

                                       8