Instamart’s 2025 order analysis reveals India’s quick-commerce evolution, from Rs 10 carts to Rs 4.3 lakh orders, highlighting shifts in consumer behaviour, big-ticket buying and rapid growth beyond metros
India’s quick-commerce journey reached a defining milestone in 2025, as Instamart emerged not just as a platform for urgent grocery top-ups, but as a go-to destination for everything from milk and bananas to smartphones, gold and high-value electronics. According to How India Instamarted 2025, the platform’s fifth annual order analysis, consumer behaviour reflected a decisive shift towards convenience-led, high-frequency, and high-value online shopping.
The contrast in purchasing patterns was striking. The smallest cart of the year stood at just Rs 10 for a printout ordered in Bengaluru, while the largest single order touched Rs 4.3 lakh, placed by a Hyderabad user buying multiple iPhones in one transaction. Across the year, Instamart’s highest-spending customer clocked more than Rs 22 lakh in cumulative purchases, adding everything from 22 iPhone 17s and 24K gold coins to air fryers, dairy products, fresh fruit and mints.
Daily staples continued to dominate order volumes. India consumed more than four packets of milk per second on Instamart in 2025, while paneer comfortably outsold cheese. Butter and spreads remained breakfast favourites, and masala-flavoured potato chips emerged as the most popular late-night snack across nine of the top ten cities. Repeat orders were driven by essentials such as curry leaves, dahi, eggs, bananas and milk, with one Kochi customer placing 368 separate orders for curry leaves alone.
Alongside essentials, big-ticket purchases gained traction. During Diwali, Bengaluru shoppers added a one-kilogram silver brick worth nearly Rs 2 lakh to their carts, while gold orders surged over 400 per cent year-on-year on Dhanteras. A Mumbai user alone bought gold worth Rs 15.16 lakh over the year, signalling growing trust in quick commerce for high-value categories.
Lifestyle and behavioural trends also stood out. A Chennai customer spent more than Rs 1 lakh across 228 condom orders, while Valentine’s Day witnessed peak gifting, with rose orders touching 666 per minute nationally. Bengaluru cemented its reputation as India’s tipping capital, with one resident tipping delivery partners Rs 68,600 during the year.
Speed remained central to the Instamart proposition. In Lucknow, instant noodles were delivered in under two minutes, while new iPhones reached customers in Pune and Ahmedabad in approximately three minutes, underscoring the platform’s emphasis on rapid fulfilment.
Growth momentum extended well beyond major metros. Tier-II cities such as Rajkot, Ludhiana and Bhubaneswar recorded exponential year-on-year growth, while health and wellness categories surged in cities including Bhopal and Varanasi. Protein products, Korean food items and wellness essentials featured prominently among fast-growing categories.
Instamart’s data suggests that in 2025, quick commerce became deeply embedded in India’s daily life, festivals and discretionary spending. From modest carts to extravagant splurges, the year reinforced how speed, accessibility and breadth of assortment are reshaping consumer expectations across urban and emerging markets alike.
