1,042 chocolates a minute: what Instamart’s Valentine’s data reveals

Valentine’s Day is increasingly becoming one of the biggest gifting moments on quick commerce platforms, with Instamart reporting a sharp surge in themed searches, premium purchases and direct-to-recipient orders in the week leading up to February 14.

Searches related to Valentine’s gifting rose 10X during the week, with jewellery, greeting cards and plush toys growing up to 10X year-on-year. The data indicates a shift from last-minute single-item purchases to curated hampers and premium bundles.

Nearly half of all Valentine’s Day carts were marked as “Orders for Others” (OFO), meaning they were delivered directly to recipients. This suggests quick commerce is now being used not just for convenience buys, but as a structured gifting channel.

Chocolates dominated, with sharp spikes

Chocolates saw the most dramatic velocity spike. At 11:59 AM on February 14, orders peaked at 1,042 per minute — the highest per-minute rate recorded for Valentine’s Day on the platform.

Searches for heart-shaped chocolates rose 500% week-on-week, underscoring growing demand for themed and occasion-specific packaging. Consumers were not just buying single bars but stacking carts with premium dark variants, nut-infused options and curated gift packs.

The highest single-order spend came from Kolkata, where a customer spent over Rs.25,000 on chocolates across premium dark, milk and assorted gift packs. Hyderabad and Delhi followed with similarly high-value carts, signalling a willingness to spend on bulk and premium confectionery through quick commerce.

Early planning and non-edible gifting gains traction

Roses saw a 10X surge in searches compared to the preceding week, with demand building earlier in the Valentine’s cycle. Teddy bear orders jumped 568% year-on-year on Teddy Day, indicating that keepsakes are regaining prominence alongside consumables.

The data suggests that gifting is becoming more planned and theme-driven, rather than restricted to same-day impulse buys.

Self-care and beauty see high-ticket spends

Valentine’s Week also drove strong traction in beauty and personal care. A customer in Cuttack placed a Rs.15,093 makeup order, while a shopper in Surat initiated a Rs.10,845 bath, body and hair purchase at 12:01 AM on February 14.

These purchases point to two parallel behaviours: gifting others and investing in personal grooming ahead of social engagements.

Sexual wellness reflects evolving attitudes

The sexual wellness category more than tripled year-on-year during Valentine’s Week, reflecting rising comfort levels and mainstream adoption within quick commerce. The growth suggests the platform is increasingly seen as a discreet and convenient channel for intimate categories.

Metros lead the surge

Bengaluru recorded the highest gifting activity, followed by Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. The concentration in metros indicates that urban consumers continue to drive premium and occasion-led spending on quick commerce platforms.

Trend takeaway

Instamart’s Valentine’s data shows three clear shifts:

Quick commerce is being used as a planned gifting channel, not just for last-minute buys.

Premiumisation is visible across chocolates, beauty and curated hampers.

Discreet categories like sexual wellness are entering the mainstream.