New Delhi | India’s quick-commerce boom has moved well beyond convenience into the realm of everyday necessity, according to ‘How India Instamarted 2025’, a new report released by Swiggy Instamart. The study offers a data-led snapshot of how instant delivery—once a niche urban service—has become a mainstream consumption habit, reshaping shopping behaviour, product demand, and supply-chain design across major Indian cities.
The report indicates that speed, predictability, and assortment depth now drive purchasing decisions as much as price. Consumers increasingly rely on Instamart for both planned refills and impulse buys—expecting essentials, snacks, and even electronics to arrive within minutes, not hours.
Daily essentials lead, impulse categories surge
Groceries and household staples continue to anchor demand, with milk, bread, fruits, vegetables, and packaged foods ranking among the most frequently ordered items. However, the report highlights rapid growth in impulse-led categories—including chocolates, ice creams, instant noodles, personal care, and small electronics—signalling a shift from “top-up” usage to full-basket substitution.
Seasonal spikes also remain pronounced. Late-night snacking, weekend party supplies, and last-minute festival shopping drove sharp order surges, underscoring how time-sensitive needs are increasingly met by quick commerce rather than traditional retail.
Urban India embraces ‘minutes culture’
Metro cities led overall volumes, but the report notes a broadening footprint across Tier-1 and select Tier-2 markets, where adoption accelerated through 2025. Consumers cited reliability of delivery slots, real-time inventory visibility, and no minimum-order anxiety as key reasons for repeat usage.
Interestingly, order timing data shows sustained demand beyond traditional retail hours, with late evening and night-time windows accounting for a growing share of transactions—particularly for snacks, beverages, and convenience foods.
Private labels and value packs gain traction
Another notable trend is the rising acceptance of private labels and value packs. As consumers grow comfortable with instant delivery, they are increasingly experimenting with store brands and bundled SKUs that offer better price-per-unit and faster availability.
The report suggests that private labels are no longer viewed as substitutes but as first-choice options in categories like staples, cleaning supplies, and packaged foods—helped by consistent quality and instant fulfilment.
Dark stores, data, and demand forecasting
Behind the scenes, Swiggy Instamart attributes the category’s scale-up to hyperlocal dark stores, tighter demand forecasting, and data-driven assortment planning. The report notes improvements in inventory accuracy and replenishment cycles, enabling faster fulfilment while reducing wastage—particularly in perishables.
The platform also highlighted the role of AI-led routing and workforce optimisation, which helped maintain delivery speed during peak demand periods without compromising service levels.
Changing consumer expectations
A key insight from ‘How India Instamarted 2025’ is the recalibration of consumer expectations. What began as a “nice-to-have” has become a baseline—customers now expect instant delivery to be consistently available, not just during promotions or emergencies.
This shift is also influencing brand strategies, with FMCG companies tailoring pack sizes, launch timelines, and promotions specifically for quick-commerce platforms.
Competitive intensity and sustainability questions
While the report paints a picture of strong growth, it also acknowledges rising competitive intensity in quick commerce, alongside questions around unit economics, workforce sustainability, and urban logistics. The emphasis, it notes, is gradually moving from expansion-at-all-costs to operational efficiency and profitable scale.
Outlook
In sum, ‘How India Instamarted 2025’ positions quick commerce as a structural shift rather than a passing trend. As speed becomes a default expectation and platforms refine their supply chains, instant delivery is set to play a central role in India’s urban consumption story—reshaping how, when, and what the country shops for.
