Ethics is the study of the moral value of human conduct. The ethics of colour use has rarely been featured as a topic of concern to the colour community. A limited exception is that of the use of colorants in food. This has in the past received much attention but legislation has now greatly restricted such usage. However, concern is resurfacing, and there are many other examples of the possible misuse of colour in food and the wider environment. This editorial asks questions in three areas of life: the environment, food, and marketing in general. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.