Valentine’s Day is fast emerging as a major gifting moment for quick commerce, and fresh insights from Instamart reveal how consumer behavior is evolving beyond last-minute convenience buys. Data from the platform shows a sharp rise in themed searches, premium purchases, and direct-to-recipient deliveries in the week leading up to February 14.

Searches linked to Valentine’s gifting surged 10X week-on-week, with categories such as jewellery, greeting cards, and plush toys recording up to 10X year-on-year growth. Notably, shoppers are moving away from single-item impulse buys to curated hampers and premium bundles, signalling a more considered approach to gifting.

Nearly 50% of Valentine’s Day carts were marked as “Orders for Others” (OFO), meaning they were delivered directly to recipients. This highlights Instamart’s growing role as a structured gifting channel rather than just a last-mile convenience platform.

Chocolates emerged as the undisputed hero category. At 11:59 AM on February 14, orders peaked at a record 1,042 chocolates per minute. Searches for heart-shaped chocolates jumped 500% week-on-week, with consumers favouring premium dark variants, nut-infused options, and assorted gift packs. The highest single-order value came from Kolkata, where a customer spent over ₹25,000 on chocolates, followed by high-ticket carts from Hyderabad and Delhi.

Beyond consumables, early planning was evident. Rose searches rose 10X, while teddy bear orders spiked 568% year-on-year on Teddy Day, pointing to renewed interest in keepsakes. Beauty and personal care also saw high-value orders, alongside a more than threefold rise in sexual wellness purchases-reflecting growing comfort with discreet categories.

Metro cities led the surge, with Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai driving premium, occasion-led spending. Overall, the data underscores three clear trends: planned gifting, premiumisation, and the mainstreaming of intimate and self-care categories on quick commerce.