I've switched from Duracell to another major brand. It might be too early to tell if the new brand is working better for me. But I noticed this problem with Duracell several years ago and sort of wrote it off as a bad batch phenomena. But since the first occurrence, and as a once loyal fan of Duracell, I continued to buy them over the years from big box stores in quantities of 20 or more. So I am convinced this is not a bad batch problem. In units such as my handheld GPS that draws some power and requires frequent battery replacement, there were no problems. However in devices such as TV remotes and battery backup power for AC wall powered electronic products where the power draw is intermittent, the battery is going to remain in the device (unexamined) for a longer period of time, say a year or more. This may also be the case for an emergency flashlight that you hardly use. It is in these instances where I found leakage problems with Duracell. Also, going out on the web, there are other people who have had similar problems with Duracell batteries.
I also want to point out that since many electronic manufacturers supply batteries with their product (typically for a handheld remote controller), I have used those off brand batteries as the initial batteries for the device. You would think that this rather than using a well known brand would be more likely to produce a leaking battery situation. However, when I checked remotes that I hadn't touched in years, those off brand batteries were still good, no leaks. Not so with any device with Duracell batteries that had been in the device for a few months or a year. I can't think of a case like that where the Duracell batteries were not leaking. If I was lucky enough to catch it in time, I could clean up the battery compartment and be okay. In one case, I lost an expensive Maglite Flashlight where the batteries had expanded to the point where I could not remove them without excessive force and the aluminum tube was seriously corroded. In another case, an expensive camera flash unit was almost ruined. I had to completely disassemble the flash unit and carefully remove the batteries, clean up the corrosion that was caused. Also, one of the contacts was so badly corroded, I had to replace it. A camera repair shop probably would have junked it.
The reason I bring this up is my new Roku streaming stick remote came supplied with Duracell batteries. I am worried that down the road, Roku is going to have some unhappy users when they check their remotes after a few months of use. Based on my long term experience with Duracell, I opted to put another major brand battery in this new remote.
I want to make another important point: Duracell and other major brands post shelf life dates several years into the future. On the shelf before use, I have never had a Duracell battery leak. It happens after they are installed in the device and well prior to the posted end of shelf life date.
Word to the wise: Check you battery operated devices, particularly those where you haven't checked for a while.
Jack
