Instant Gifting Gains Momentum as Q-Commerce Delivers Over 7 Million Orders in 2025, says Report

Quick-commerce platforms delivered more than 7 million gifts across India in 2025, underscoring how instant delivery is reshaping gifting habits, especially for last-minute and occasion-driven purchases.

The findings were revealed in Ferns N Petals’ (FNP) Gifting Stack 2025 report, which analyses gifting patterns across cities over the past year. The report highlights the growing role of speed and convenience, with the fastest delivery completed in just 12 minutes over a distance of 8.2 kilometres.

While instant fulfilment has gained traction, gifting behaviour continues to remain deliberate. According to the report, 55% of all gifts were ordered during morning hours, exceeding post-morning and midnight orders. Classic categories dominated demand, with cakes and flowers accounting for the majority of gifts sent nationwide. Chocolate truffle cakes and rose bouquets emerged as the most popular choices.

The data also revealed distinct regional preferences. Delhi ranked as India’s top gifting city in 2025, narrowly ahead of Mumbai by a margin of 0.65%. Consumers in the national capital showed a stronger inclination towards premium and luxury hampers, while Mumbai emerged as the leading city for romantic gifting. Bengaluru stood out for its preference for plants, reflecting a tilt towards sustainable and long-lasting gifts, whereas Kolkata consumers favoured cakes and traditional sweets.

Midnight gifting continued to play an important role in select markets. Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Lucknow recorded the highest share of orders placed around midnight, suggesting sustained demand for time-sensitive surprise gifting in these cities.

The report also highlighted the rise of long-distance gifting enabled by quick commerce and logistics networks. In one instance, a gift travelled 2,178 kilometres from Kochi to Srinagar, reflecting how technology is bridging geographical gaps in personal celebrations.

Adding a lighter insight, “Aditya” emerged as the most gifted name of the year, followed by “Anjali,” with 27 recipients receiving cakes and flowers on a weekly basis. Pop-culture-inspired themes such as Labubu, Ghibli, and Italian brainrot gained popularity, particularly among younger consumers.

Overall, the report points to a shift towards faster, more personalised, and more frequent gifting, with quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart becoming central to India’s evolving gifting ecosystem.