India's relationship with shopping underwent a dramatic transformation in 2025, moving far beyond emergency top-ups to become a deeply integrated part of daily life. The latest annual analysis from quick-commerce giant Instamart, titled "How India Instamarted 2025," paints a vivid picture of a nation that has fully embraced the convenience of 10-minute deliveries for a staggering array of needs—from mundane groceries to luxury electronics.
The New Rhythm of Indian Households
The data confirms that convenience has officially graduated to a daily rhythm. The peak shopping hours solidified between 7 AM to 11 AM for morning pantry stocking and again from 4 PM to 7 PM for evening needs. This wasn't just about cities; Tier-II locations powered the growth story with explosive numbers. Rajkot saw a 10x year-on-year growth, Ludhiana grew 7x, and Bhubaneswar rose by 4x, indicating a nationwide adoption of quick-commerce.
Dairy emerged as an undeniable hero. India consumed over 4 packets of milk per second on the platform—a volume sufficient to fill more than 26,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The love for traditional tastes held strong, with paneer outselling cheese by more than half, and butter maintaining a firm lead over cheese for breakfast spreads.
Big Tickets, Tiny Carts, and Record-Setting Speed
The spectrum of purchases was breathtaking. On one end, a Hyderabad user made the platform's biggest single cart of 2025, spending ₹4.3 lakh on iPhones. On the other, a Bengaluru customer placed the tiniest cart—a ₹10 printout. The year's top spender was a prolific user who clocked over ₹22 lakh across repeat orders, buying everything from 22 iPhone 17s and 24K gold coins to everyday milk and eggs.
Speed reached new benchmarks. In a fitting twist, a pack of Maggi noodles was delivered in Lucknow in under 2 minutes. The frenzy for the iPhone 17 launch saw users in Pune and Ahmedabad receive their new phones in less than three minutes, faster than most unboxing videos.
Celebrations, Wellness, and Quirky Trends
Festive and gifting behavior evolved significantly. Valentine's Day saw roses being ordered at 666 per minute, with Bengaluru leading the charge. Interestingly, Mondays became the top gifting day across the country. The report also highlighted a massive boom in health and wellness, with Bhopal recording a 16x YoY increase in this category, followed by Varanasi and Ludhiana.
Protein was the undisputed MVP in nutrition, with bars, shakes, and high-protein yoghurts dominating sales. Korean flavors like Gochujang sauce saw orders in Bangalore surge by 491%. Yet, tradition held its ground: for every cup of coffee ordered, Indians drank 1.3 cups of chai in the top cities.
The report is filled with quirky insights that define the Indian consumer: a Mumbai user spent ₹16.3 lakh on Red Bull Sugar Free, a Chennai pet parent pampered their animals with ₹2.41 lakh on supplies, and a Bengaluru user famously paired a ₹1.7 lakh iPhone with a ₹178 lime soda in the same cart. From gold worth ₹15.16 lakh being purchased to users curiously searching for "Swiggy" and "Airbus," the 2025 Instamart report cements quick-commerce as the trusted platform for India's ever-expanding and diverse wishlist.
