How India Instamarted In 2025: From Daily Essentials To iPhone Hauls
Swiggy Instamart ’s fifth annual “How India Instamarted” report offers a revealing look into how Indians shopped in 2025 and the findings show just how dramatically quick commerce has evolved. What began as a platform for last-minute grocery runs has now become a go-to destination for everything from daily essentials to high-value luxury purchases. The report highlights orders ranging from a single ₹10 printout in Bengaluru to a staggering ₹4.3 lakh iPhone haul in Hyderabad, reflecting the platform’s growing reach and trust.
Everyday Essentials Still Lead the Way
Despite the rise of big-ticket purchases, daily staples continued to dominate Instamart carts. Dairy consumption touched extraordinary levels, with more than four packets of milk ordered every second enough to fill around 26,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Paneer retained its status as the ‘desi’ favourite, outselling cheese by over 50%, underscoring India’s preference for traditional foods.
Snack habits were equally telling. Masala-flavoured chips emerged as the most popular late-night snack in 9 out of 10 major cities, outpacing even new gadget launches in order volume. When it came to beverages, chai comfortably beat coffee, with Indians consuming 1.3 cups of tea for every cup of coffee across the top 10 cities.
Big-Ticket Buys Redefine Quick Commerce
The report notes that 2025 was the year “Quick Commerce” truly became “Big Commerce.” High-value electronics and precious metals featured prominently in the year’s heaviest carts. Users in Pune and Ahmedabad received iPhone 17s in under three minutes, showcasing the speed that defines the platform.
Hyderabad claimed the biggest single cart of the year, with a user spending ₹4.3 lakh on three iPhones in one tap. In Noida, another customer spent ₹2.69 lakh on robotic vacuums, SSDs, and Bluetooth speakers. Festive shopping saw a sharp spike as well gold orders surged 400% during Dhanteras compared to 2024, with Bengaluru leading the charge by adding a 1 kg silver brick worth ₹1.97 lakh to a single order.
Tier-II Cities Fuel the Growth Story
While Bengaluru remained Instamart’s “Tipping Capital,” with one user tipping ₹68,600 in a year, the real growth momentum came from Tier-II cities. Rajkot recorded a 10x year-on-year rise in orders, followed by Ludhiana at 7x and Bhubaneswar at 4x. Bhopal also stood out, registering a 16x increase in health-related purchases.
Quirky Patterns and Super Users
The report highlighted several interesting behavioural trends. One in every 127 orders included a condom, with September marking a 24% spike in the category. Mondays emerged as the most popular day for sending gifts to beat the “start-of-the-week blues,” while Valentine’s Day saw rose orders peak at 666 per minute nationwide.
Instamart also spotlighted its “super users,” including a Bengaluru account that spent ₹4.36 lakh on noodles, a Mumbai user who shelled out ₹16.3 lakh on sugar-free Red Bull, a Chennai resident who spent ₹2.41 lakh on pet supplies, and a Noida user who bought 1,343 protein items worth ₹2.8 lakh.
According to Instamart, shoppers saved an estimated ₹500 crore during the “Quick India Movement” sale, making 2025 a landmark year defined by speed, scale, and surprisingly diverse shopping habits.
Everyday Essentials Still Lead the Way
Despite the rise of big-ticket purchases, daily staples continued to dominate Instamart carts. Dairy consumption touched extraordinary levels, with more than four packets of milk ordered every second enough to fill around 26,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Paneer retained its status as the ‘desi’ favourite, outselling cheese by over 50%, underscoring India’s preference for traditional foods.
Snack habits were equally telling. Masala-flavoured chips emerged as the most popular late-night snack in 9 out of 10 major cities, outpacing even new gadget launches in order volume. When it came to beverages, chai comfortably beat coffee, with Indians consuming 1.3 cups of tea for every cup of coffee across the top 10 cities.
Big-Ticket Buys Redefine Quick Commerce
The report notes that 2025 was the year “Quick Commerce” truly became “Big Commerce.” High-value electronics and precious metals featured prominently in the year’s heaviest carts. Users in Pune and Ahmedabad received iPhone 17s in under three minutes, showcasing the speed that defines the platform.
Hyderabad claimed the biggest single cart of the year, with a user spending ₹4.3 lakh on three iPhones in one tap. In Noida, another customer spent ₹2.69 lakh on robotic vacuums, SSDs, and Bluetooth speakers. Festive shopping saw a sharp spike as well gold orders surged 400% during Dhanteras compared to 2024, with Bengaluru leading the charge by adding a 1 kg silver brick worth ₹1.97 lakh to a single order.
Tier-II Cities Fuel the Growth Story
While Bengaluru remained Instamart’s “Tipping Capital,” with one user tipping ₹68,600 in a year, the real growth momentum came from Tier-II cities. Rajkot recorded a 10x year-on-year rise in orders, followed by Ludhiana at 7x and Bhubaneswar at 4x. Bhopal also stood out, registering a 16x increase in health-related purchases.
Quirky Patterns and Super Users
The report highlighted several interesting behavioural trends. One in every 127 orders included a condom, with September marking a 24% spike in the category. Mondays emerged as the most popular day for sending gifts to beat the “start-of-the-week blues,” while Valentine’s Day saw rose orders peak at 666 per minute nationwide.
Instamart also spotlighted its “super users,” including a Bengaluru account that spent ₹4.36 lakh on noodles, a Mumbai user who shelled out ₹16.3 lakh on sugar-free Red Bull, a Chennai resident who spent ₹2.41 lakh on pet supplies, and a Noida user who bought 1,343 protein items worth ₹2.8 lakh.
According to Instamart, shoppers saved an estimated ₹500 crore during the “Quick India Movement” sale, making 2025 a landmark year defined by speed, scale, and surprisingly diverse shopping habits.
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