Yes—up to a point. If you're choosing urban trash bins and want colors that make everyday scratches less obvious, darker, muted, and textured finishes usually work best. Charcoal, deep green, olive, brown, and some dark blues tend to blur small scuffs and marks better than bright white, pale grey, or high-gloss finishes. Matte powder-coated steel and textured HDPE also break up reflected light, so fine scratches don't stand out as much.
That said, color alone isn't magic. A very dark, glossy bin can actually show light scratches and dust quickly, especially if the scratch exposes a lighter material underneath. Deep gouges will be visible on almost any color. Texture and finish matter as much as hue: a matte, slightly grainy surface hides wear better than a smooth, shiny one. Medium-dark earth tones are often a practical compromise because they don't look as severe as black when they get scuffed, and they don't show dirt as obviously as pale colors.
Cities also have to balance scratch-hiding with visibility, branding, and recycling color codes. That's why you'll still see bright blue, green, or yellow bins in public spaces—those colors communicate waste streams and make bins easy to find. If scratch resistance is the main goal, choose a dark, muted, matte, textured finish, and pair it with a replaceable or touch-up-friendly coating. In short: yes, some colors hide scratches better, but the finish and material do a lot of the heavy lifting.