A method of making a plastic container having an RFID tag in a wall of the container includes providing a mold having a mold core and mounting an insert on the core. The insert includes an RFID tag surrounded by a plastic housing, which preferably is retained on the core for example by heat of the core partially melting the housing. A plastic preform is formed in the mold around the core and the insert, preferably by injection molding, such that the insert is embedded in a wall of the preform. The preform is then blow molded into a plastic container having the insert embedded in a wall of the container. The insert preferably is mounted on an end of the core such that the insert is in the base wall of the container following blow molding. The RFID tag preferably is externally covered by plastic material in the preform as molded, and in the container as blow molded, so that the RFID tag is not externally exposed in the preform or the container. The disclosure also contemplates a container preform and a blow molded plastic container manufactured in accordance with a method of the disclosure.