All ICA-retailers in Sweden are members of the ICA-handlarnas Förbund (The Association of ICA-retailers), an organisation where every member/retailer has one vote irrespective of store size.

The Association negotiates with ICA AB for all retailers over the format group agreements, purchasing conditions etc. Through the subsidiary Hakon Invest AB the Association exercises its other role, being one of the main owners of ICA AB.
 
ICA AB, formerly solely owned by the ICA-retailers, is now run in partnership with Dutch retailer Royal Ahold. Through the groups´ Swedish company, ICA Sverige AB, the ICA retailer purchase most of their merchandise as well as the other support typical for a modern grouping of retailers, e.g. store locations, store development, development of format groups and of the ICA Customer Card.
 
The ICA-idea is a business model where the individual retailer owns and operates his store in cooperation with other retailers and with a common purchasing-/support company. This has been so since ICA was founded in 1917 still is so – in Sweden. The model has been adapted to the changes in our environment and the ICA activities have been supplemented by other operations within and outside Sweden.

The ICA retailer owns his own store, which through agreements is connected to one of the format groups ICA Nära (convenience stores), ICA Supermarket, ICA Kvantum or ICA Maxi (hypermarkets). These agreements entitles the retailer to benefit from the purchasing prices ICA AB negotiates for each format group and from the common marketing. However, it also gives the retailer obligations concerning the graphical profile, the customer service, the basic assortment etc. On top of that the individual retailer makes his own additions in terms of local purchases and customer offers.