India’s quick commerce carts stretched from pocket change to luxury splurges in 2025, according to Swiggy Instamart’s latest annual shopping analysis, offering a sharp snapshot of how consumer behaviour evolved over the year.
Based on orders placed between January and November, the data shows a striking spread in basket values. The smallest transaction recorded was a ₹10 printout ordered in Bengaluru, while the largest single cart touched ₹4.3 lakh in Hyderabad, driven by the purchase of three iPhones. Over the year, Instamart’s highest-spending customer placed cumulative orders worth more than ₹22 lakh, blending high-value electronics and gold coins with everyday groceries such as milk, eggs and fruit.
Daily essentials remained the backbone of demand. Milk consumption crossed four packets per second on the platform, reinforcing its role as a routine purchase. Paneer outpaced cheese by over 50 percent, while butter and spreads nearly matched cheese volumes, underlining preference for Indian kitchen staples. Late-night snacking also stayed strong, with masala-flavoured chips emerging as the most ordered night-time item across nine of the top ten cities.
At the same time, carts expanded beyond food. Protein products gained prominence, with bars, ready-to-drink shakes and high-protein yoghurts dominating the category. One Noida-based user alone spent ₹2.8 lakh on protein items during the year. Electronics also featured heavily, including a ₹2.69 lakh single order in Noida that bundled speakers, storage devices and a robotic vacuum cleaner.
Precious metals saw a noticeable spike, particularly during festive periods. Gold orders during Dhanteras jumped over 400 percent year on year. In Bengaluru, a Diwali cart included a one-kilogram silver brick priced at nearly ₹2 lakh, while a Mumbai customer bought gold worth over ₹15 lakh across multiple orders.
Speed remained a defining factor. Instamart logged instances of packaged foods reaching homes within two minutes and smartphones delivered in under three minutes in select locations. Ordering activity peaked during morning hours from 7 am to 11 am and again in the early evening, aligning with daily routines.
Growth was not limited to metros. Tier 2 cities recorded the fastest expansion, with Rajkot clocking a tenfold rise in orders, followed by Ludhiana and Bhubaneswar. Health and wellness categories surged in cities such as Bhopal, while heavy repeat usage was evident in Kolkata, Mumbai, Kochi and Gurgaon, where several users crossed 1,000 orders over the year.
