I suspect that with the advent of rechargable nickel metal hydride and lithium batteries taking over the market that alkaline batteries are considered by the manufacturers to be heading for extinction and as such are being treated as a 'cash cow' that is milked for all the profit that they can make out of them in their remaining lifetime. This involves using cheaper not leak proof casings anymore. Someone could perhaps chop an old and new battery and see what they have skimped on, less seals, thinner steel in the jackets, cheaper stainless (more iron - test with magnet?). It was not beyond the wit of man to make leakproof batteries previously. I have had many alkaline batteries leak recently, particularly Duracells and have moved to nickel metal hydride.
