Kaju Katli, Diet Coke, Gold Coins: What India ordered during last minute Diwali 2026 preparation from Swiggy InstaMart
From gold coins to kaju katli to Diet Coke, Diwali 2026 saw several last-minute orders on Swiggy Instamart. According to the company, customers turned to the quick commerce platform during this festive season to order gold and silver coins, boxes of Kaju Katli, party snacks and pooja essentials. These demands spanned traditional festive purchases and everyday household needs.
InstaMart offered a glimpse into how consumers prepared for the festival this year. The company revealed that shopping activity peaked at different timings on Dhanteras and Diwali. While gold and silver coins saw a rush on Dhanteras, the demand for mithai, snacks, gifting items and home essentials picked up around Diwali.
The festive shopping rush began mostly as Dhanteras set in. The first gold coin order was placed at 12:00:30 am IST on November 6 from Hyderabad, as per the official press note. It was said to be for a Flower 24 Karat Gold Coin. Four seconds later, at 12:00:34 am, a customer from Bengaluru placed the first order of a silver coin.
Floral designs emerged as a favourite among gold buyers, with nearly two in three gold coins purchased featuring rose or floral patterns. It was followed by the auspicious Lakshmi and Ganesh designs. Silver purchases, meanwhile, were led by Lakshmi-Ganesh coins, which accounted for 73% of demand in the category.
The demand for gold and silver continued through the day. 6:38 pm was recorded as the busiest time for gold and silver coin orders as shoppers made their Dhanteras purchases online.
On Diwali, households relied on the Swiggy Instamart app to get their festive preparations in order. On November 8, the busiest shopping hour was recorded between 11 am and noon, with 11:18 am emerging as the busiest time or minute of the day.
Among markets, Jaipur, Madurai, Guwahati, Thrissur and Kollam emerged as the top cities for festive demand this year.
Party preparations also converted into higher orders. Shopping for party essentials grew 162% year-on-year, while demand for munchies and snacks rose 42%, added the company.
Among food items, Diet Coke was the most popular non-grocery item on Diwali eve. In desserts, Kaju Katli retained its position as the Diwali favourite, followed by Motichoor Laddoo, Besan Laddoo, Mysore Pak, Soan Papdi, Peda and Gulab Jamun.
Gifting also remained an important part of the celebrations, and orders. Among the most popular gifting items were assorted dry-fruit packs, recording more than 100% growth.
Besides these, clothing, jewellery and hair accessories, electronics and appliances, and kitchen and dining categories also witnessed significant year-on-year growth. Dinner sets emerged as the most popular gifting item as per the press note.
A Mumbai-based customer topped the spending charts with a basket worth ₹1.11 lakh, comprising gold coins featuring Lakshmi-Ganesh and lotus designs. On the other hand, a Hyderabad customer followed with a ₹52,215 basket that included a 2g flower-design gold coin and a 100g silver bar.
A Bengaluru user spent ₹32,298 on a basket combining a 2g Lakshmi gold coin with olive oil and other products. In Gurgaon, a customer placed a ₹30,855 order featuring a 1g Lakshmi gold coin and a children's lunch box.
Other high-value baskets were a mix of festive decorations and practical purchases.
A Delhi user spent ₹29,907 on a 1g flower-design gold coin and LED curtain lights, while someone in Chennai placed a ₹26,770 order featuring a 1g Lakshmi gold coin and a 50g silver bar.
A Noida-based user spent ₹25,313 on an air purifier and a cordless vacuum cleaner.
Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.
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